Encomium
Where were you when you heard about his death?
It happened on a Sunday evening. I left church about 12 o’clock, came straight here (parents residence) as I usually do. I was with him until 5.30 p.m. He was okay. We talked, laughed. I made a few phone calls for him. He wanted me to do a few things for him in the office on Monday morning because he planned to go back to work on Thursday (February 5, 2015). This was in preparation for his coming back.
Does that mean he had not been going to office for sometime?
Yes, he was at home. I told him I had to leave early because I was hosting my house fellowship at home. He even joked that I should bring some snacks for him from our fellowship. I was in the fellowship when I got a call from his nurse who said there was an emergency, that daddy was feeling unwell. We all rushed here with my fellowship people and my son. We took him to Reddington Hospital. When we came here, he still had a pulse. He was still very warm. When we got to Reddington, he was quickly taken to the Intensive Care Unit, where they tried a lot of things but he didn’t come out of it.
Does that mean he went into coma and never came out of it?
I don’t know exactly what happened. I have told everybody that if I had seen any sign on that day, I would have just explained to my fellowship people that I couldn’t make it and I would have stayed with him. I never saw any sign.
What did doctors say went wrong then?
The doctors have not even given us the death certificate to let us know the cause of his death. But personally, I suspect it was heart attack and I think it was sudden. I don’t know what caused it. I know what brought it on, I think that was what happened.
What would you say you would miss about your father?
I spent the last four years of my life being closely attached to my father. At a stage, we decided that since I was on the Island, I should move my office to his office. So, I was actually working in his office. I was with him. I have my own office within his own office. So, you can imagine, we are very close. I was very, very close to my father. My life was wrapped around him. My husband, my children knew that I was close to him and I loved him.
I spent a lot of time with him. What would I miss about him? This man was a wonderful man. He’s taught me to be a generous giver. He taught me to show love. He taught me to see people as equal. He taught me a lot of humility. And that is the way I am living my life too.
