It was this woman.
Within a year of relocating to the U.K., getting married and having a baby she was facing difficulties that would have ended much longer marriages. Her husband, feeling rejected and redundant as the Beatles fell apart, was also falling apart. He had quite a mental health crisis although he now ‘only’ says he ‘nearly had a breakdown’. Linda was in a new country with two small children. Her eldest had problems settling in at school (teased for her American accent). She was vilified by the press and the fans (wasn’t she spat at outside their house in Cavendish Ave?) and her husband was drinking too much and couldn’t get out of bed.
Linda could have fallen apart herself or walked away. What she did do though was persuade her husband that he wasn’t worthless and he should continue to make music. She even helped to make the music with him.
Linda famously put aside her own needs to support Paul. When he wanted to form a band and go on the road again she said yes to joining him. She didn’t really want to do it but agreed because he wanted her there. The years of criticism she received for doing this was astounding. See what a strong person she was? She was ‘Team Paul’ all the way.
It wasn’t all about Linda doing what Paul wanted though. Looking at life through his wife’s eyes Paul came to love his Scottish farm. He became a animal lover just like she had always been. They raised their kids together in a relatively modest house in Sussex because that is what she wanted.
Yeah I know Paul was very close to John Lennon and that through their late teens into their late 20s they were the best of friends. John went on to reject Paul though and put distance between them. When that happened, this lady stepped up and was there for him. She remained there for 29 years.
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