▁her ▁home ▁in ▁Mon aco ▁when ▁ 1 9 7 9 ▁champion ▁J ody ▁Sche ck ter ▁informed ▁her ▁of ▁the ▁news . ▁Jo ann ▁fle w ▁to ▁Belg ium ▁along ▁with ▁Sche ck ter ' s ▁wife ▁Pam ▁to ▁speak ▁with ▁Wat kins . ▁Jo ann ▁and ▁Wat kins ▁both ▁accepted ▁the ▁decision ▁to ▁turn ▁off ▁his ▁resp ir ator , ▁and ▁Vill ene uve ▁died . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁Canadian ▁Grand ▁Prix ▁later ▁that ▁year , ▁Wat kins ▁had ▁to ▁deal ▁with ▁the ▁fatal ▁accident ▁of ▁Ric c ardo ▁Pale tt i ▁on ▁the ▁first ▁lap ▁of ▁the ▁race . ▁Wat kins ▁got ▁to ▁Pale tt i ' s ▁car ▁ 1 6 ▁seconds ▁after ▁impact ▁and ▁opened ▁the ▁vis or ▁of ▁the ▁hel met ▁to ▁see ▁his ▁blow n ▁pup ils . ▁Then , ▁before ▁any ▁medical ▁attention ▁could ▁be ▁received , ▁Pale tt i ' s ▁car ▁caught ▁fire ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁pet rol ▁tank ▁having ▁ru pt ured ▁and ▁ign ited . ▁Wat kins ▁had ▁suitable ▁cl othing ▁to ▁prevent ▁him ▁from ▁suffering ▁serious ▁burn s ▁but ▁his ▁hands ▁were ▁affected . ▁After ▁he ▁ex ting u ished ▁the ▁fire , ▁he ▁took ▁off ▁his ▁glo ves ▁to ▁put ▁an ▁air way ▁into ▁Pale tt i ' s ▁thro at ▁but ▁Wat kins ' ▁bo ots ▁had ▁m elt ed ▁in ▁the ▁fire . ▁At ▁the ▁British ▁Grand ▁Prix ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 5 , ▁Wat kins ▁received ▁a ▁silver ▁tro phy ▁during ▁the ▁drivers ▁brief ing