In the car with her teenage daughter, Grace Kelly – about two miles outside La Turbie, France – lost control of the vehicle. In an excerpt from Jeffrey Robinson’s Rainier and Grace: An Intimate Portrait, her daughter Stephanie reportedly said: “Mommy kept saying, ‘I can’t stop. The brakes don’t work.'” As the car flew over a 120-foot slope and crashed, the pair were soon rushed off to hospital.
Dr Louis Chatelaine, director of the Monaco Hospital, said that Grace’s fatal strokes were “of equal intensity”.
One came just before the car accident, and the second came some time later, he told reporters.
What causes a stroke?
The NHS says that a hemorrhagic stroke occurs “when a blood vessel inside the skull bursts and bleeds into and around the brain”.
The main cause for this type of stroke is high blood pressure, which can weaken the arteries in the brain.
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Weakened arteries in the brain are more likely to split or rupture, which can be fatal – just like it was for Grace.
Risk factors for high blood pressure include:
- Being overweight
- Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol
- Smoking
- A lack of exercise
- Stress.
“It’s possible to significantly reduce your risk of having a stroke by making lifestyle changes,” the health body states.
Adhering to a healthy lifestyle can help you to avoid health issues such as atherosclerosis and high blood pressure.
Atherosclerosis describes the process when the arteries become clogged with fatty substances.
“These plaques cause the arteries to harden and narrow, restricting the blood flow and oxygen supply to vital organs,” the NHS elaborates.
Minimise your risk of atherosclerosis and stroke risk by eating a healthy, varied diet.
Grace Kelly stars in High Noon, which is airing on Friday, October 7 on Film4 at 11am.
