Glowing tribute paid to ‘Nutman’

His was a life dedicated to family, friends, and the ardent pursuit of earning an honest living.

This is how the friends and family of the late Randy Nutman Selman wanted mourners attending his funeral service at the Abundant Life Assembly on Thursday to remember the soft-spoken entrepreneur.

Though the service itself began around 1 p.m., friends and supporters were encouraged to say a brief word about Selman before it began.

As a man who plied his trade at the corner of Pine Hill Road and Pine Plantation Road, many Barbadians, from all walks of life, have at some point during the last decade, met the kind and well-mannered young man.

Cultural Ambassador The Most Honourable Anthony Gabby Carter attended the remembrance service and paid tribute to Selman via spoken word. After having the young man as a neighbour for many years, he felt moved to write a short piece to pay his last respects.

“To his daughter, Destiny, I offer my sympathy. I offer the same to his son, Prince. Your dad meant the world to me. To you Coreen, no spoken words can right now heal your pain. Well I believe it deep in my heart, that we will see Randy again. To all his friends and family, his customers as well, you can tell Randy was a true king; for him, let’s ring a bell. A really fine human, whose spirit carried nothing mean, one of the most gentle souls this world has ever seen,” Carter stated.

The older brother of Selman, Ricardo Piggott, delivered an emotional but at times humourous eulogy, as he remembered his younger brother always trying to look out for him and sharing ideas about how he wanted to grow his business.

Piggott also delivered written words by Selman’s children, as they remembered their father for the wise words and traits he instilled into them.

“You were so wise beyond your years, and for that [we] are thankful because now we have morals and values cemented in [us] for years to come. It’s almost like you were prepping us for this moment without you. It’s hard not to remember you when, everywhere we go, something triggers a memory of you. The closeness we shared, we can say with confidence that you were more than just my father. You were our mentor, confidant, best friend and motivator. Literally a part of our hearts, where you will always reside,” he said.

During his sermon, Reverend Michael Holford reminded the grieving family that the anguish and sense of loss they feel will be comforted if they seek peace from God.

“You hurt today because this man who you love has been taken from you through an evil act of another person. You need comfort. You are angry today. You may not be expressing it but deep on the inside, because of this injustice there are many of you who sit here today, many of you who are watching, many of you who have stepped outside, who are angry…. The sorrow you feel today, the sorrow you feel in this moment, the sorrow you felt on that night, is not beyond the capacity of God to not only comfort but heal,” Holford told the congregation.

Selman’s body was interred at the cemetery of the St Barnabas Anglican Church. (SB)