A community mourns

The Pine St Michael community got together last evening to reflect on the life of 17-year-old Kyrique Boyce who died after falling into a well at Martin Road, in that area.

There was no loud wailing or bawling as was the case the afternoon news spread among the close-knit community that his young life had been lost on the way to the hospital.

However, the pain was etched on the faces of the young man’s family and friends who walked through the neighbourhood singing and calling his name.

The scores that attended the candlelight vigil carried candles and wore white t-shirts on which a picture of Kyrique was printed.

Family and friends of Tyrique Boyce gathered in front of his house before the start of Thursday night’s vigil.

His mother Latoya Francis also participated in the event and wept quietly at times during the walk, but was comforted by warm arms that embraced her.

Members of the Barbados Fire Service turned out in their numbers, including officer Joron Goddard who retrieved the teen’s body from the well.

Following the walk, which lasted for just under an hour, a powerful session of prayers and worship.

Francis was too shaken up to speak before the large gathering, however, her daughter Shaniah Francis read a poem she penned to express how she felt about the bond she shared with her brother.

“Dear Kyrique, now that you are gone you are no longer here to share the bond we had together. A bond of love and care yet something tells me you are watching over me. I miss you so much, my tears I cannot hide. Yet within my heart, I feel you are always by my side. Ever since you have left me nothing has been the same, yet it comforts me to know that one day we will meet again,” Shaniah read to the quiet congregation.

Member of Parliament Santia Bradshaw, who addressed the gathering, spoke about how proud she was of the residents of St Michael South East for standing with Kyrique’s family. She said though many had unanswered questions regarding the tragedy, now was the time to pray and ask for God’s guidance and strength for the family and the community.

“In the last couple weeks, this community has been affected by tragedy after tragedy, and I have been away. I have not been able to be here with you because of treatment. But the one thing that has kept me during my difficult time has been the people in this community, and it is something that I am eternally grateful to all of you for.

“It is something that certainly when I realised what happened to Kyrique, I could not continue my appointments in Miami because I have known Latoya’s family for years, from when I was a child.

Noreen, her mom, was somebody who was always there for my dad and for my family, and I had to cut my journey short to be here for her and for the rest of the family and for the rest of the community,”  Bradshaw said.

Resident Lisa Hackett, delivered a moving rendition of Wiz Khalifa’s See You Again and encouraged Francis to pray for strength since she was going to need a lot of it to help her to cope.

“You are going to only know how strong you are by travelling through this journey. You were there for me, and for sure I will be there for you. I know Kyrique before he was even born, so I feel your pain tonight Toya,” Hackett said.
anestahenry@barbadostoday.bb