The question
How close have you come to dying?Originally asked
The Guardian, to a different person each week, The Q&A
A recurring Guardian Q&A prompt asked directly across respondents and years.
You answer as yourself. Nobody on FLAPSS answers as anybody else.
In 1995, I discovered I had two brain tumours. The process of having them removed went on for about three years. It was a long and drawn-out time, wondering whether or not I was going to die.
The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 14 July 2018 source ↗
Hitchhiking across Australia as a teenager, relying on the kindness of passing serial killers.
In my dreams: I’ll feel as if I am falling towards a white light and then suddenly I wake up.
Childbirth. And the wheel of our camper van coming clean off on the M1.
The London terror attack on 7/7 in 2005. I was in London the day before for the Olympic bid. When we won I thought, “I should stay over – it will be a great party tonight.” But I decided to go back to Manchester for training. Bombs went off on what would have been my route to the station.
Buzz Aldrin. I met him about 10 years ago and all I could do was look at his feet. What greater thing can you do than walk on the moon?
Gary and I worked in a greengrocer’s on Saturdays and in the holidays. One of my jobs was cooking beetroot – it used to make me gag.
I wanted to play for Arsenal. When I have a kick-around with my boy, I still feel as if someone’s going to spot me.
The births of my children, Harley Moon (28) and Roman (25).
I cry all the time. The last time was at the end of Paddington 2. Shirlie was laughing her head off.
Stephen Graham, Beverley Knight, Meera Syal, Lesley Sharp, Julian Sands, Joseph Fiennes
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