9 January 2013  A FALKLANDS hero who was “haunted” by memories of the conflict was found dead in his car just hours after Argentine president Cristina de Kirchner reignited the row over the islands.
Father of three Stephen Hood, aged 52, went missing on 3 January, as footage of himself and fellow paratroopers at Goose Green was screened on TV.
He featured in iconic film footage celebrating victory at the battle of Goose Green, served with 2nd Battalion, the Parachute Regiment in the Falklands, and previously in Northern Ireland - dedicating 19 years of his life to the forces.
His family, from Elm Grove, Rhyl, north Wales, have paid tribute to “a perfect dad” after he was found dead in his car.
His body was discovered on January 3 near Holywell.
Carol, Mr Hood’s wife of 26 years, said the conflict never went away for the ex-Para.
“He found it difficult,” she said. “He wouldn’t say much to me about it but I knew something was wrong.
“I used to call it his dead eyes, as if he was holding something back.”
As a medic with B Company, Mr Hood, known as ‘Hank’ to his colleagues, saw action at Goose Green, widely considered the most intense and significant battle of the war.
Mrs Hood, who also served in the Army for eight years, said her husband remained haunted by the war.
“He was struggling with flashbacks,” she said. “Today he would have been diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder but it wasn’t called that back then.
“Stephen was sent to see a civilian psychiatrist but that was no good as he knew nothing about the war.
“Veterans like Stephen need a network of soldiers to speak to.”
Mr Hood, who leaves his children Kirsty, 23, Leigh, 24, and Donna-Marrie, 30, will be given a send off at St Thomas’ Church at 1pm on January 25, followed by committal at Colwyn Bay Crematorium.
Kirsty said: “He was a perfect dad – I couldn’t have asked for anyone better.
“He was always smiling - we had great times together.
“We were his life and he would have done anything to make us smile.”
Mr Hood, originally from Tranent in Scotland, went missing as news bulletins were featuring the latest demands by President de Kirchner for Britain to surrender the Falklands.
Television reports included the Goose Green footage of Mr Hood and fellow paratroopers - the same clip that has also featured in the films This Is England and The Iron Lady.
Mrs Hood, who is now urging politicians to stop their sabre-rattling for the sake of traumatised veterans, said: “They should let it lie and leave it to the people of the Falkland Islands to determine their future.
She is also pleading that her husband’s death is not used as propaganda or to further inflame the ongoing diplomatic row between Britain and Argentina.
She said: “Stephen was not anti-Argentine and neither am I.
“I am sure their veterans are struggling too and need help.
“For this reason I would like the governments of both countries to calm things down and stop dragging up the war.”
Mrs Hood added she hopes that any war veteran struggling emotionally will seek the help they need.
Scores of messages have been left on Facebook to remember Mr Hood, who had worked as a paramedic on North Sea oil platforms for the past 19 years.
The family has said if anyone wishes to make any donations to do so towards Help for Heroes charity.
North East Coroner, John Gittins, has opened and adjourned an inquest into Mr Hood’s death.
The cause of death has been deferred to the inquest which will be set for a later date.