Several weeks ago, Louise Speed, the widow of Gary Speed, a famous singer and songwriter, lost her second husband in just over a year. Her second husband was Quinton Bird, a former member of the famous Black Eyed Peas. Although Bird is now a successful singer and songwriter himself, Louise is not sure he’s the right guy for her. And while he’s a great father to their son, she’s still worried about the potential dangers of being married to him.
Quinton Bird
After the death of Welsh football legend Gary Speed in 2011, his widow Louise found himself struggling to get on with her life. Her new husband, property developer Quinton Bird, died within six months of their marriage.
Quinton’s father Roy said he was “devastated” to lose his son. He also described him as a “wonderful” father. And he paid tribute to the great memories he had of his son.
Quinton Bird was a property developer who died at the age of 53 after battling an aggressive brain tumour for two years. He was married to Gary’s widow, Louise, in December 2021.
The couple married in a lavish ceremony at Peckforton Castle in Cheshire. Alan Shearer was the wedding officiant. Both of the former players were close friends of Gary.
During their time together, Gary and Louise had two children. They both played for Everton and Leeds United. As a manager, Gary was known to have paved the way for the success of the Wales national team.
Before his death, Gary had appeared on the BBC’s Football Focus programme. He had been appointed as the Wales manager in early 2011. When he died, he was still overseeing the team. It’s thought he had been over the drink-drive limit. However, the coroner’s narrative verdict stated there was insufficient evidence to establish that he committed suicide.
During the inquest, Michael Speed’s wife said there were ‘ups and downs’ in their text conversations, but there was nothing to suggest that he killed himself. Nevertheless, she hoped that her husband had died accidentally.
The Cheshire coroner’s narrative verdict states that there is not enough evidence to prove that Speed committed suicide. Although Speed had alcohol in his system, the coroner ruled it unlikely that he intentionally took his own life.
Louise Speed also fought with questions over her husband’s death. However, she said she had found happiness in a new relationship.
Despite the tragedy, her husband’s family has rallied around her. A fundraiser was set up by Bird’s daughter Claudia, who organised walks in the Lakes. She almost reached her PS5,000 target.
Quinton Speed’s father describes him as a ‘wonderful’ father
Quinton Bird was the second husband of Gary Speed’s widow Louise. She had lost her first husband in 2011, when Speed took his own life at age 42.
The two met at age 15 in Flintshire, North Wales. Speed was a footballer who played for Newcastle United, Everton, and Bolton. He also spent four months as manager of the Wales national team. However, he never made it back home after a dinner party.
Two years after Speed’s death, Lewis and Quinton found love. They married in November 2021. A decade later, they had sons.
Quinton had been diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumour just six months before his death. It was his second time being diagnosed with cancer, having been treated for a treatable tumour two years earlier. After being treated, Quinton spent 18 months fighting the disease.
After Quinton’s death, his father Roy said his son was a “wonderful dad”. He described his son as an ‘extraordinary memory’.
As well as being a wonderful husband and father, Quinton was a good friend to Louise. When she lost her husband, Quinton offered to help her cope with the loss. This was his way of helping her to get through her loneliness.
The couple had been in a relationship for nearly ten years, and were married in a lavish ceremony in Cheshire. Quinton was also a property developer. Their firm, Bow Property Development, specialises in renovations and new construction.
Louise had a tough time coming out of her shell after Gary’s death. But she has since built a new layer of protection around herself. And she says she has found happiness with a new partner.
Quinton was a great father and helped to give Louise a little bit of hope after Gary’s death. His death left a lasting impact on his family.
The family was “devastated” by their loss. But the coroner’s narrative verdict stated that there was insufficient evidence to prove that Speed had committed suicide.
He was a legend in Welsh football, having helped to turn the team around.
Gary Speed’s blood alcohol content
While Louise Speed had to pick up the pieces after her husband died, it wasn’t long before she had her own piece of the action. It’s been 11 years since her husband’s untimely demise, and in her latest interview she revealed she’d forged a new relationship with her new husband.
She also said that her marriage had been put to the test, with her and Gary’s two teenage sons suffering from the brunt of their father’s alcoholism. During the two years after he died, she wanted her children to “experience the normalcy of life” rather than rely on their dad.
Her new partner was a property developer named Quinton Bird. They were married in December 2021, and in the months after they tied the knot, they had to deal with the ravages of cancer. Two years after they had their wedding, they learned that the former had a tumour on his brain. The doctor had diagnosed him with a treatable tumor, but the disease had already taken its toll.
During her interview, she also revealed she had made a good showing in her quest to fill the void left by her husband’s death. Despite the loss, she felt her husband was a part of her in a special way.
Several football clubs placed tributes in their honour, and the Football League Managers’ Association issued a statement on behalf of the Speed family. Although the fabled ‘Gary Speed’ has passed away, the name is still fondly remembered by fans of the former Everton and Leeds captain.
The wife has also claimed the honour of proving that her husband’s most memorable achievement was in the smallest possible measure. According to her, her best day was a few months ago, when she woke her kids up to open the doors to their house. When she went to investigate, she found her husband’s body in the garage.
A coroner named Nicholas Rheinberg ruled that there was no evidence Mr Speed took his own life. However, he did conclude that a text message that he sent to his wife five days before his death showed that he had been contemplating suicide.
Gary Speed’s wedding dress
When football legend Gary Speed took his own life 10 years ago, his widow Louise was left without a husband and without a sense of normalcy. Ten years on, she married Quinton Bird, a property developer and business partner who helped her to deal with her grief.
Louise was just 15 when she went on her first date with Gary. They met at a dinner party when he was still a teenager, but she later discovered his body in the garage of their home. The coroner concluded that there was insufficient evidence to establish that he had committed suicide.
It took a further two years before Louise was able to get up off the sofa. But after Gary’s death, she was finally able to find happiness again with her new partner. She said she had built up a layer of protection against the emotional toll of the event and was able to move on.
It was a big day for both of them. A montage of their best moments was played on a giant screen before the game. Then Super Furry Animals performed on the stage in the stadium’s corner. After the game, a cake decorated with PS900 was served.
It was a very special day for Louise. Her children and grandchildren embraced their grandparents. And a charity walk in the Lakes raised almost PS5,000. Claudia Bird organised the event, which was attended by 50 former Wales internationals, including Alan Shearer, Ryan Giggs, Kevin Ratcliffe and Mark Hughes.
In addition to the charity walk, a fund-raiser was held for Brain Tumour Research. Bobby’s daughter, Claudia, also organised a fundraiser for the charity.
On the anniversary of his death, Louise opened up about her feelings. She said she felt like nothing would ever be right again. She revealed that she had a relationship with Quinton Daily Mail after the event. But she is grateful for the opportunity to have married her second husband.
Before his death, Gary Speed had played more than 900 professional matches. He was a Wales international and had a career that included spells with Leeds, Newcastle, Bolton and Sheffield United.
More details
Quinton Bird, Gary Speed’s widow Louise’s second husband, has away at the age of 53.
The real estate developer apparently received a brain cancer diagnosis two years before his death.
Ten years after Speed’s passing, Bird and Louise got married in December 2021 at Peckforton Castle in Cheshire.
The two had founded Chester-based refurbishment business Bow Property Development and had been business partners for almost six years.
Roy, Bird’s father, paid tribute to his son by expressing his “devastation” at losing him “at such a young age.”
The entire family “had been left with a plethora of lovely and exceptional memories,” he continued, calling his son a “great” father.
In 2011, Speed committed suicide in his Cheshire home. Later, a coroner declared that Speed’s suicide might have been unintentional.
Cheshire coroner Nicholas Rheinberg issued a narrative finding in which he stated that “the evidence does not sufficiently determine whether [his death] was intentional or accidental.”
Speed contacted his wife days before he died and “spoke in terms” of committing suicide, according to the Warrington Coroner’s Court inquiry.
There have been some extremely terrible moments, which we have all had to find our own unique ways to suffer, Speed’s family wrote in a statement at the time.
The day of Gary’s funeral, they stated, “was a day where we were able to say farewell to him in our own personal and private way. It was a day of immense loss and anguish for everyone involved.”
