Story By:  Kathryn Quinn , Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Golder’s News And Sport

The wife of the German goalkeeper who died after throwing himself in front of a train has made an emotional apology to the train driver ten years later.

Robert Enke made headlines around the world following his death after it emerged he had kept his depression a secret as he was scared that if he went public his adopted daughter could be taken away from him.

Enke, who was the captain for German side Hannover 96 died just a few hundred metres from where his two-year-old daughter had been buried following her death from a heart defect.

Now his widow Teresa Enke has revealed that she sent a personal letter to the train driver via the German Railways.

She said: “I do not know the name of the driver, but I really wanted to tell him that Robbi would never have wanted to involve someone else in his death.

“If he had not been suffering from this illness, he would never have done this. This is not something he would not have been on his agenda.”

“That is what I would really like to say to the train driver, maybe he will read it here. I hope he received the letter. I am so sorry and I know Robbi would say the same.”

Robert Enke took his life on 10th November 2009 just north of the city of Hanover, the capital of and largest city in the state of Lower Saxony.

Talking about the upcoming tenth anniversary of his death Teresa said: “I am not preparing for this day. I hope the day goes quick. Of course I will think back to ten years ago and think about what he did the evening and days before. I just watched his last interview.

“It really is amazing that he played so well just before this happened. I will spend the 10th of November with friends and family as normal as we can. I don’t want people making big journeys to visit me. It is a normal day and I would rather celebrate his birthday.”

Enke won eight full international caps. His final international appearance came in August 2009 when he kept a clean sheet against Azerbaijan.

Prior to his death, Enke was expected to be Germany’s number one goalkeeper at the 2010 World Cup, ahead of Manuel Neuer.

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