▁Hä kk inen ' s ▁heart ▁twice ▁and ▁performing ▁a ▁cr ic othy roid ot omy ▁at ▁the ▁side ▁of ▁the ▁track ▁which ▁he ▁later ▁described ▁as ▁his ▁most ▁satisfying ▁experience ▁during ▁his ▁time ▁in ▁the ▁sport . ▁ ▁Wat kins ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁Mario ▁And rett i ▁Award ▁for ▁Medical ▁Ex cell ence ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 . ▁▁ 2 0 0 0 s ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁Wat kins ▁was ▁made ▁an ▁Officer ▁of ▁the ▁Order ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁Empire ▁for ▁recognition ▁of ▁his ▁work ▁in ▁impro ving ▁the ▁safety ▁of ▁Grand ▁Prix ▁racing . ▁ ▁Wat kins ▁acted ▁in ▁the ▁defence ▁for ▁David ▁V iss eng a ▁in ▁an ▁inqu iry ▁into ▁practices ▁into ▁services ▁of ▁the ▁Alfred ▁Hospital , ▁Melbourne ▁where ▁mar shal ▁Graham ▁B ever ige ▁died ▁after ▁being ▁struck ▁by ▁a ▁wheel ▁from ▁Jacques ▁Vill ene uve ' s ▁car ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁Australian ▁Grand ▁Prix . ▁The ▁University ▁of ▁Liverpool ▁presented ▁him ▁with ▁an ▁honor ary ▁doctor ate ▁at ▁a ▁ceremony ▁in ▁Liverpool ▁on ▁ 8 ▁July ▁ 2 0 0 4 . ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 6 ▁September ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁Wat kins ▁along ▁with ▁Gary ▁Hart stein ▁were ▁first ▁on ▁the ▁scene ▁when ▁Peter ▁Phill ips ▁and ▁three ▁other ▁team ▁members ▁were ▁trav elling ▁on ▁the ▁same ▁stretch ▁of ▁road ▁as ▁Wat kins ▁and ▁Hart stein ▁when ▁their ▁van ▁coll ided ▁with ▁another ▁car ▁at ▁high ▁speed . ▁ ▁On ▁ 1