The heartbroken love story of Christie Brinkley before Billy Joel

Christie Brinkley became involved in a fabulous romance with a devastating end a year before her joining began with Billy Joel hit creator.

The supermodel, known for her living smile and sunlight in California, had just finished an eight-year marriage to French artist Jean-François Allaux when she met another French, champagne heir Olivier Chandon de Brailles in 1982.

Chandon, the only only son of billionaire Frederic Chandon De Brailles, who was the leader of the Moet-Hennessy group, was making his mark on the race car.

A random encounter with the rich rich Moet-Chandon Nepo child at NYC Hotspot Studio 54 lit ‘love at first sight’ for the icon of Illustrated Sports.

Quickly becoming one of the prominent couples of the 1980s, the tension appeared due to Chandon’s ambition to pursue a career in driving professional cars – despite his family and Brinkley regarding his career.

On March 2, 1983 Brinkley’s worst fear was realized when high octane sport claimed Chandon’s life in a strange collision in West Palm Beach, Florida.

He was only 27 years old.

Christie Brinkley was involved in a fabulous romance with a devastating end a year before her joining with Billy Joel – photographed with Olivier Chandon de Brailles in NYC

They quickly became one of the ’80s power couples, but the friction rose over Chandon’s desire to create a successful car career in the race – despite his families and Brinkley’s wrongdoing – pictures months before his death

Brinkley arranged her heart with Billy Joel’s music icon – they were photographed in 1983 after Chandon’s death

Less than an hour before his death, a heart -broken brinkley had made plans to meet Chandon that evening.

The first lucky meeting of the party came to a Soiree to promote the 1982 Christie Brinkley calendar.

A striking chandon sent her a dozen white roses then with a note: ‘Hope to see you again before the flowers die’.

Brinkley said it was ‘love at first sight’ when she first closed her eyes with Chandon, a French citizen who had moved to New York City to study.

Chandon had attended the exclusive Le Rosey school in Switzerland and had served in the French Air Force.

His passion for race began in Europe, where he competed in his first race at the age of 18.

He moved to New York City in 1979 to study marketing and work in the United Technologies sales department before resuming his competitive career.

Described as ‘blessed with great charm and shade’ Chandon spoke five fluent languages, had a black belt in Taekwondo and was also a ‘thirsty skydiver’.

The supermodel, famous for her smile Peppy and Girl California Looks, was fresh from an eight-year marriage to French artist Jean-Francois Allaux (in 1973) when she was first tied up with Chandon

Chandon was the only beautiful son of Frederic Chandon de Brailles, chairman of the Met-Hennessy group, who was creating a career in racing cars 1982

They quickly became one of the 80s power couples, but the friction rose over Chandon’s desire to create a successful car career in the race – despite his family and Brinkley’s wrongdoing – Photo 1982

The first lucky meeting of the party came to a Soiree to promote the 1982 Christie Brinkley calendar – Brinkley photographed 1982 at the age of 28

Chandon was the only son of billionaire Frederic Chandon de Brailles, leader of the Met-Henless-Foto 1987 group

On March 2, 1983 Brinkley’s worst fear was realized when high Octan sport claimed Chandon’s life in a strange clash. He was only 27 years old

Chandon was testing a new Atlantic car with Ralt Formula (Stock Image) on March 2, 1983 when it crashed into a barrier, catapulted into a canal and drowned

Chandon’s team had leased Moroso Motorsport Park – now known as Palm Beach International Raceway – to try the new 1983 Ralt

Their romance went from strength to strength and the high -profile couple participated in numerous glittering holidays together, with Brinkley regularly observed, supporting it on the race.

The only cloud on the romance horizon was the concern for Chandon’s profession.

He removed De Brailles from his name because of his family concern about security in the sport, for the Motorsport Memorial.

Chandon competed professionally only once in the 1982 Super Vee USA formula with Wilbur Bunce Racing and a RALT RT5 (Volkswagen), ending in 43rd position – but he was determined to prove himself in the ruthless world of racial cars.

His last days were spent preparing for the Formula Atlantic season with the New York Racing Fred Opera.

At a cost of $ 600 a day, the team rented the Moroso Motorsport Park – now known as Palm Beach International Raceway – to try the new 1983 Raltin and an older car.

On Tuesday, March 1, the day before his death, Chandon led for more than 100 miles to the oldest car to acclimatize himself with dirty.

The next day Chandon went up to the new Atlantic Ralt Formula car and began driving around the B-line highway of the park.

More than four decades of his death, Chandon has remained in a 71-year-old Brinkley-Foto 1982 thought and memories now

In his ten -round lap around the track, the car left the road and crashed into an obstacle in more than 100mph.

The vehicle catapulted into a channel 12 meters away from the track with a powerless chandon hanging in the car from his feet.

Although his injuries were survivors, he was unable to escape and drown.

When told about the accident, a disturbed Christie stayed in California.

Then SGT the Sheriff of Palm Beach. JJ Andersen said that the driver’s father, Frederic, who was the owner of the car, was expected to fly to Florida from France.

He said: ‘He will meet the race team to discuss what happened. No one has said that there was a mechanical failure, but we will continue to see it. ‘

Examant Medical Palm Beach confirmed that there were no signs of stroke or any body damage that may have contributed to his death. His cause of death was confirmed as ‘asphyxiation from drowning’.

The cause of the accident remains a mystery to this day – with a drowning or mistake of protected driver as possible theory.

Chandon is buried in the Laferte-Sur-Aube cemetery, Haute-Marne, France.

Brinkley continued with musician Joel shortly after Chandon’s death.

The duo had first met in January 1983, two months before Chandon’s crash, while they were both on vacation in St. Barts.

Piano’s husband’s singer explained that he arrived in Brinkley after hearing that her boyfriend had died to offer his condolences, they achieved a friendship and eventually turned romantic.

The two began to meet while he was still in a relationship with Elle Macpherson, as Billy wrote in his 2014 memory, Billy Joel: the final biography he once brought at Christie while Elle was already asleep in his bed.

Joel and Brinkley were married for nine years, and she played in his girl’s video at Uptown

Piano’s husband explained that he arrived at Brinkley after hearing her boyfriend had died to offer his condolences, they achieved a friendship and things eventually turned romantic – Photo 1988 with daughter Alexa Ray

More than four decades after his death, Chandon has remained in Brinkley’s now 71-year-old thoughts and memories.

She reflects on their relationship in her new memory, Uptown Girl, and previously discovered that she had to take time from her modeling career to rebuild after Chandon’s death.

She said: ‘I remember approaching (stirring in the film Darryl Hannah), but that was when my boyfriend Olivier was killed in a car accident. And I just had to get a little on Saturday. ‘