Formula One ace Niki Lauda once revealed how his former flight attendant wife saved his life by donating him a kidney in 2005.
The three-time world champion, who died aged 70 today, credited his wife for handing him a new lease of life - after a previous organ transplant failed.
Birgit Wetzinger, then 26, had only been dating the race driver for eight months when she donated one of her kidneys to him.
Racing news website F1i.com reported that Niki, who wed Birgit in 2008, told a reporter: "I asked my son Lucas if he test to donate a kidney, but it did not fit.
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"Birgit then said she would do the test, but I asked 'why would you do the test'? 'Because I want to', she said. I said 'you will never ever donate your kidney, because I'm ill and I've known you for eight [months]'.
"She did the test, and she did fit. For about three months she gave me always the same impression, 'I do it for you because I love you'. She was never frightened or asked any questions, it was just a pure approach 'I will do it'."
Niki reportedly said the couple spent a long time thinking about the transplant and then went ahead with it.
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He added that he prayed the surgery would not cause any complications for his partner - and was relieved when everything went according to plan.
In 2008 he married Birgit, who was a flight attendant for his airline.
The Formula One star said he wed Niki because she was the 'right woman to marry' and not because of her selfless sacrifice.
The couple have two children together, Mia and Max Lauda.
