Widow describes Russian defector's last moments

WASHINGTON - It was a quiet, peaceful morning at Sergei Tretyakov's home in Sarasota County, Fla. on June 13.

"We woke up. I baked his favorite chicken pie, and we were making plans for the Fourth of July. We celebrate it every year, as we have since 2001," says Helen Tretyakov.

The widow of one of the world's most famous Russian spies who defected to the U.S. a decade ago talked about his death in an exclusive interview with WTOP.

What happened to Sergei, 54, suddenly cut their planning short.

Helen says her husband got up and walked away from the table.

The moments that followed linger painfully, replayed over and over in her memory.

"I didn't understand what happened. Sergei fell down and I grabbed him."

Helen quickly realized they were in the midst of a life-or-death situation.

Her voice shaking, she says, "I called 911, and they arrived very fast. In, I don't know, 3 or 4 minutes."

Bending under the heavy toll of describing the final moments of Sergei's life, she sighed heavily. Helen says she held him.

"His eyes were half open. His mouth was half open," she says, tears filling her voice.

"While I was on the phone with 911, they were telling me what to do," she says of the terrifying moments.

When paramedics arrived, they tried everything to resuscitate Sergei.

"They tried everything, but it was too late. He was there and then next moment he was gone," she says.

"I was completely lost. I didn't know what was happening at that time."

Shackled with grief, Helen pulled herself together, knowing there was one last thing she would need to do.

"The next day, after Sergei's death of course, I informed all my neighbors all my friends and all the people he knew all over the world, and I asked everyone to be discreet and not to disclose the information about his death until I'm ready."

The question of foul play, an immediate concern for Helen and U.S. authorities, was quickly ruled out. An autopsy revealed he died of natural causes.

"They told me it was a cardiac arrest," she says.

Recognizing that the clock was ticking, and it was only a matter of time before news of his death would leak out and trigger the rumor mill, she announced his death on July 9.

"It was not because I was scared or suspicious. Neither was Sergei. But my and Sergei's friends wanted to prevent any speculation about the cause of his death. I don't want Sergei's former colleagues to have the luxury of flattering themselves, that they punished Sergei."

"He died suddenly and he didn't suffer," Helen says.

"It is painful for me, but it wasn't painful for him. He was not punished. I will still keep crying for a long time, but I am his wife, I am strong and I will move on."

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(Copyright 2010 by WTOP. All rights reserved.)