Sir Geoff Hurst Reveals Heartbreaking Truth About World Cup-Winning Teammate's Alzheimer's
England's World Cup winning hero Sir Geoff Hurst fears his close friend and former England teammate Martin Peters won't remember his 1966 triumph as he battles with Alzheimer's.
Hurst netted a hat-trick while Peters grabbed the other goal in the iconic 4-2 win over West Germany in the final.
Image by Charlie Rhodes
However, Geoff Hurst has said he can no longer reminisce with his life-long friend Martin Peters about the famous victory as the disease has clouded his memory of the day.
As reported by The Sun, he said, "It is very very difficult, whether he would recognise me or know me.
"We have discussed it with his wife and family, and we have left it that we would not get involved, apart from my wife talking to his wife, and I think she appreciates that, to have someone she can talk to and discuss how Martin is.
"It is heartbreaking for the people involved, and almost impossible to understand how difficult it is for the families. It is a disease which doesn't get better.
"If you have a physical disease, or a broken leg, you can recover from it and get better in time, with dementia it only goes one way, albeit at different levels.
"That is the awful thing about it, because it is not going to get any better than it is today, in fact it is going to deteriorate.
"My wife Judith speaks closely with Martin's wife, Kathy, almost daily.
"It is not necessarily the person themselves - who is not aware that they have dementia - it is the huge, enormous effect which it has on the carer, the husband or wife, the family members, which is all terribly difficult."
Image by Charlie Rhodes
Hurst, who is now 75, has been actively raising money to try and extinguish Alzheimer's once and for all, after it has affected those closest to him. He has joined the Alzheimer's Society Memory Walk campaign to try and raise £9m for the cause.
"(Dementia) is becoming one of the most serious illnesses and it is increasing.
"My involvement with the players from my 1966 World Cup squad who have got it is seeing how the families deal with it all, and it is arguably one of the most debilitating aliments families can face.
"I grew up with some of them from when I was just 16, so for me it was something which I really felt I had to get involved in.
"It is extremely sad, because a lot of your life is about memories of the past over many years with your family and friends and that now is all clouded in mystery.
"Sadly for the players involved, winning the World Cup is not even a distant memory."
