It’s been over two decades since Princess Diana tragically passed away on August 31, 1997, in a devastating car accident. Now, the firefighter who was first on the scene has finally broken his silence in an exclusive interview with The Sun. This is the first time Xavier Gourmelon has spoken publicly about the events of that fateful night.
“When we arrived, the car was a total wreck, but we approached it like any other road accident,” Gourmelon explained, his voice filled with both professionalism and emotion. “Our priority was to assess who needed immediate help and who was still alive. As I approached the vehicle, Princess Diana looked up at me and whispered, ‘My God, what’s happened?’ It’s a moment that has stayed with me ever since.”
Princess Diana's Final Moments: A Firefighter's Perspective
Gourmelon, who is now retired, vividly recounted the scene as he pulled the princess from the wreckage of the Mercedes at the Pont de l’Alma tunnel in Paris. “She was conscious and her eyes were open when I reached her,” he said. “The princess—whom I only later realized was Diana—was lying on the floor in the back seat, barely moving. But she was alive. I could see that she had a minor injury to her right shoulder, but there was no visible blood or other significant wounds. She seemed stable at first glance.”
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However, the situation quickly took a turn for the worse. Once Diana was safely removed from the car, she suffered a cardiac arrest. Gourmelon, using his years of training and experience, managed to resuscitate her. Despite his best efforts, though, the "People’s Princess" succumbed to her injuries at the hospital. Gourmelon had no idea at the time how severe her internal injuries were.
“I remember massaging her heart, and within seconds, she started breathing again,” he recalled, his voice tinged with both relief and sorrow. “As a first responder, saving lives is what we do, and I truly believed I had saved hers. Honestly, I thought she would pull through. When she was placed in the ambulance, she was alive, and I fully expected her to recover. It wasn’t until later that I learned she had passed away at the hospital.”
Gourmelon, who was restricted from discussing the incident during his time as an active firefighter, also shared how Diana’s loyal bodyguard, Trevor Rees-Jones, tried to reach her despite his own critical injuries. “He kept asking, ‘Where is she? Where is she?’” Gourmelon recounted. “Even though he had severe facial injuries, his concern was solely for the princess. We had to calm him down and reassure him that we were doing everything we could to help everyone involved.”
“To prevent further complications, I told him not to speak or move,” Gourmelon continued. “I explained that none of my team spoke English, so it was better for him to stay still. He trusted us, and we did everything in our power to ensure everyone received the care they needed.”
A Night That Will Never Be Forgotten
Gourmelon admitted that the memory of that tragic night continues to haunt him. “The entire episode remains vivid in my mind,” he said. “It’s something I’ll never forget. Even now, after all these years, the details are as clear as if it happened yesterday. That night will forever be etched in my memory.”
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This story was written by Candice Mehta-Culjak and originally appeared on our sister site, Now to Love.
