Susannah Boddie Obituary, Death – In August of the previous year, Susannah Boddie, who was 27 years old and from Nettlebed, acquired a severe head injury as a result of losing control of her motorcycle while riding on a high mountain trail close to Lake Garda.
She was travelling with her boyfriend Rob Johnson at the time, and they were on vacation. During the time of the coronavirus pandemic, Miss Boddie, who was working as a lead data scientist at No. 10 Downing Street, and Mr. Johnson were cycling back to Verona from the Dolomite Alps when the accident occurred.
The pair had been cycling for one hundred kilometers every day, traversing mountain passes at high altitudes. In his testimony before the Oxford Coroner’s Court, Mr. Johnson stated that they were on the final day of their journey when they came across a precipitous slope in the mountains that were located above Toscolano Maderno.
Over the course of around thirty minutes, they had been pedaling primarily downhill, with him being somewhat ahead of her. After that, she finally caught up to him and gave the impression of being “out of control” before vanishing around a bend in the road. According to Mr. Johnson, when he finally caught up with her, she appeared to be breathing, but she was bleeding from her mouth.
There was a couple who stopped to provide assistance, but owing to the rural area, it took thirty minutes for the paramedics to arrive. Shortly after that, it was determined that Miss Boddie had passed away at the scene. After the accident, her bicycle, which she had brought with her on vacation, was inspected, according to the testimony presented at the inquest. The possibility that the inner tube of the front tyre had exploded was taken into consideration. If this had occurred, the brakes would have been rendered ineffective. The senior coroner, Darren Salter, came to the conclusion that her passing was an accident.
He went on to say, “She was a woman who was a source of inspiration, an incredible scientist, and she was loved and admired by everyone.” Because of her brief life, she had accomplished a great deal. Despite the fact that Miss Boddie resided in London, she frequently traveled back to the family house in Park Corner, where she had spent her childhood and frequently rode her bicycle.
Prior to enrolling at Cambridge University, she received her early education at Highmoor Nursery School, Rupert House School in Henley, and St. Helen and St. Katharine School in Abingdon. She then went on to pursue other educational opportunities. Her father, Simon, was the financial director at Oxford University, and her mother, Sarah, was a veterinarian at the Larkmead veterinary practice in Cholsey. Both of her parents recalled her as a devoted student who always wanted to finish her homework so that she could go outside and enjoy sports.
Miss Boddie was a member of the Woodland Pony Club and competed at the national level in eventing and dressage. Prior to enrolling in university, she took a year off to work at a professional event yard with Lydia Hannon, a trainer from Watlington.
Following the completion of her undergraduate degree in pharmacology, she went on to earn a master’s degree in systems biology. She studied natural sciences at Trinity Hall, Cambridge. As she was attending college, she discovered that she had a passion for data science. During her time at Cambridge, she served as the captain of the horse-riding squad and the university’s representative in the modern pentathlon for a period of three years.
Immediately following her graduation from college, she enrolled in the fast track program for the civil service and spent her first year working for the Department of Work and Pensions. After that, Miss Boddie moved on to the data science section at No. 10, where she worked on the strategy for responding to the pandemic and, more recently, on matters pertaining to health policy.
She maintained her passion for sports outside of the workplace. The London Marathon was completed by her in three hours and seventeen minutes, and she also finished a half-Iron Man competition. As soon as she arrived in London, she decided to start participating in triathlons and joined the Clapham Chasers triathlon club.
In addition to being a fervent park runner, she was also a person who was deeply concerned about the environment and who held highly held beliefs. Mrs. Boddie made the following statement in August: “I believe that the combination of science data and making a difference in public service was very motivating for her and gave her a sense of purpose.” The fact that she wanted to make a difference is undeniable.
I remember her telling me that all she wanted to do was assist other people. “In her 27 years, she had accomplished more than the majority of people do. She managed to fit a lot of things into her life. She pursued a wide variety of hobbies while still finding time to spend with the people who were important to her. She possessed an unbelievable level of dedication.
