“We wished we knew” – says brothers after sibling dies

The siblings of the young man who allegedly took his own life on Sunday morning are appealing to Barbadians to pay close attention to their relatives and friends who may be showing signs of depression.

Shane Rawlins 35, Shad Rawlins 34, and Sheridan Rawlins, 28 who have expressed shock that their free-spirited brother 25-year-old Shamar Rojoe Bascombe was found hanging from a rafter in a bedroom at his Hannay’s Valley, Windsor, Christ Church home said they want society to know that depression was real.

When members of the media visited the family home, the three brothers were gathered outside reflecting on Shamar’s life. They said they wished they had known what Shamar was going through, so they could have done more to help him.

Brothers (from left) Shane Rawlins, Shad Rawlins and Shamar Rawlins reflecting on the life of their younger brother Shamar Bascombe (Inset).

“It is so sad that it come to a point where my little brother basically sacrificing his life [to show] what is going on in society today. I think it is something that we need to deal with sooner than later,” Shane said.

“We now come to a realisation and that realisation came too late for us,” he added.

Shamar, a labourer at Barbados Water Authority (BWA), lived with his mother Gail Bascombe who left the island on Friday to go to the United Kingdom on vacation and his father Roland Rojoe Bascombe, a local designer.

The brothers said the entire community had been shaken up by the death, particularly children who looked forward to Shamar making them laugh and cheering them on when they did well.

Shirad recalled: “My brother was free-spirited. He always tried to do extra to lighten up the place and put a smile on people face. Even if you vex with him, he would talk some foolishness. Everybody loved this man. But I guess my brother spend too much time thinking about the fun parts of life instead of keeping his mind serious and knowing that any time, pressures could come to a head.

“When we enjoying ourselves too much, when an obstacle comes, we forget how to handle it. My brother was too happy. He was always someone to live a little on the edge just to do the craziest things. If you can jump over the wall, Shamar is going to jump over the wall and do a somersault.

“He was just that kind of person to do something extra, just to be different, just to be the life of the situation. As much as he was imparting so much happiness and sometimes entertainment to people, he was suffering in silence,” Shad added.

He also indicated that stories circulating on social media regarding the reason Shamar took his own life were false.

Shad said the most ridiculous rumour he heard was that his brother “came to the point he did” because he had become “weak” after their mother left the island.

“When my mother comes home to have that sort of stuff going around, you could imagine the effect that would have on her? So I just want to clear the air that some of the things people discussing and that we have been hearing are just assumptions, just talk.

“We just saw the signs too late. There are situations I think might have played a part but it is hard to pinpoint that any particular thing would have caused him to make the decision he made,” Shad said.

Shad and Shane said they both last saw Shamar hours before he died, when they were at the house.

“Maybe if I was here, things could have worked out differently,” Shane whispered.

Shamar is a former student of the Christ Church Foundation School.

Police continue to investigate the unnatural death.

anestahenry@barbadostoday.bb