When Rhonda Gillam started caring for Betty Cuthbert, she never dreamed the labour of love would last 26 years.
She barely knew Betty Cuthbert but after a chance meeting two years earlier, during which Betty had passed on her number, something told Rhonda Gillam to get back in touch with the famous sprinter.
It was 1991, and their reconnection would lead to a wonderful friendship.Sadly, it came to an end last week, when Betty, 79, passed away after nearly 50 years battling multiple sclerosis.
“When I walked into her apartment in [Perth], the place was a mess and Betty was a recluse,” reveals Rhonda, who admits she wasn’t looking for a new best friend at the time.
But that was exactly what she got – and the club champion golfer went on to look after the four-time Olympic gold medallist until her last breath on August 6.
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