Former Olympian Helen Smart passes away at 42 as family and colleagues mourn her 'sudden death'

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Helen Smart, a former member of Britain’s Olympic swim team who also won silver medals at the World Championships and European Championships, has died. She was 42.

Smart was known as Helen Don-Duncan before she married. Smart’s family and British Swimming both announced the swimmer’s death Monday. After her swim career was over, she became a teacher at Worsley Mesnes Community Primary School in Wigan.

The cause was not immediately known.

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Helen Don-Duncan smiles. (Mike Egerton/EMPICS via Getty Images)

"She loved the school, staff, children and parents so much," Smart’s husband, Craig, said, via the Evening Standard. "She was so proud to reach her goal of being headteacher. She used to say to me all the time she could never see herself at another school. She was Worsley Mesnes through and through!

"I remember only last week she said her goal was to get the school to outstanding and that she had the right staff to achieve this. I hope you all keep learning like champions. Please learn from this and live your best life, no regrets."

Alison Halliwell, the chair of governors at the school, described Smart’s death as "sudden."

"It is with great sadness and regret that I have to announce the sudden death of our beloved headteacher, Mrs. Helen Smart," she said. "Our heartfelt condolences are sent to Helen’s family at this very difficult time. I know this news will be a shock and cause great sadness to our community.

"I want to reassure you that the governors of Worsley Mesnes School are working with the local authority and school to ensure that our children, staff and parents will