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Gary Speed’s widow Louise suffers fresh heartache after property developer husband dies from brain cancer

GARY Speed’s widow has suffered fresh heartache after her new husband died of brain cancer.

Louise, 52, married property developer Quinton Bird, 53, after football manager Gary took his life 11 years ago.

Louise Speed, pictured with Quinton Bird
Louise and Quinton married almost a year ago
Louise was devastated after Gary Speed, pictured, took his life 11 years ago

A family source told MailOnline that he had brain cancer for more than two years.

His dad Roy said the family were “devastated” to lose him.

He added that Quinton was a “wonderful” dad and left him and wife Jenny was left with “beautiful and extraordinary memories”.

Louise and divorced dad-of-three Quinton married just over a year ago.

But tragically he succumbed an aggressive form of brain tumour just six months later.

The couple had been business partners for six years as directors of new build and renovation firm Bow Property Development in Chester.

Guests at Louise and Quinton’s wedding in Cheshire included former England captain Alan Shearer, who was close friends with Gary.

The pair fell in love after Louise struggled in the aftermath of Gary’s death, admitting she struggled to get off the sofa and was left with unanswered questions over his suicide.

Mum-of-two Louise was left heartbroken after Welsh football star Speed took his own life on November 27, 2011, aged just 42.

She previously opened up about Speed’s death, admitting she felt anger at first and often doubted if she could forgive him for taking his life.

She also described the tragedy as the “worst nightmare possible”.

Louise said: “Have I forgiven Gary? I ask myself this often. Can I? Have I? Will I?

“I don’t know. I have witnessed the hurt he has caused to his family and friends, particularly his boys and his mum and dad and myself.

“The void he has left within us all. So I don’t know. I just don’t know if I have forgiven him yet or not. But of course I want to.

“The anger has only just subsided and that is part of it. I was angry with him for a long time but that also kept me strong, if you know what I mean? It’s when I released that anger that I felt a little bit vulnerable.”

Speed and Louise were childhood sweethearts, going on their first date aged 15.

They married during his spell with Leeds before stints at Everton, Newcastle, Bolton and Sheffield United.

He retired with the Blades in 2010 and took over as manager before taking the reins of the Welsh national team.

Speed was still the Wales gaffer when he died aged 42.

Louise found her husband hanged in their garage on a Sunday morning, after appearing on BBC Football Focus and going out to dinner with friends the previous day.

A letter Speed wrote to his then-girlfriend Louise aged 17 expressed how he felt ”so depressed’.

He wrote: “I’m just going to go to sleep now and hope I never wake up.”

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