Deacons Farm mourns after ninth road accident claims beloved dad

The Deacons Farm community was Thursday mourning the loss of Sha Elton King, 48, a well-known father and friend, who became Barbados’ ninth road death this year after his motorcycle was involved in a collision on Tudor Bridge Road on Wednesday afternoon.

King, of Madison Terrace, died just after dropping off one of the children he often cared for from school. He was travelling along Tudor Bridge Road, St Michael, towards Bridgetown when he collided with a motorcar heading in the opposite direction, according to police.

Veronica Harte, the grandmother of King’s only son, Zhi, said: “He became like a son to me. I love Sha. He’s very respectful. He wasn’t only into his child, but he was also extending that love to my daughter. I actually have a four-year-old daughter who calls him dad, and then my two sons — he was always there. He was a big brother, a son, a father.”

Fighting back tears, she said the news still feels like a dream and has devastated King’s nine-year-old son who will be celebrating his birthday this month.

Harte recalled that breaking the tragic news to young Zhi was almost unbearable. “He’s not taking it well. He said that his dad has his heart hurting him,” she shared. To soften the blow, the family took the boy to Pebbles Beach — his favourite hangout spot with his father — before telling him what had happened.

When Barbados TODAY visited the family home, Harte’s four-year-old daughter also quietly shared that she misses her “dad”, a sign of the bond they shared.

Harte said King was known for helping with school pick-ups, often stepping in when she couldn’t. She described him as “the life of the life”, always playful and full of energy. “Sha was always bubbly, always want to play. Who Sha love, he would defend right down.”

She said the family is struggling to cope. “His uncle hadn’t smoked in years and I was told that he went and smoked,” Harte said, noting with pain that King’s mother also died in a motorcycle accident.

King, a contractor, had lived with Harte’s family for seven years before moving out to an apartment. Just days ago, he was making plans to move back in.

“He was just telling me Sunday he wanted to come back home,” Harte recalled sadly.

As the Deacons Farm community grapples with the loss, Harte said she wanted people to cherish their loved ones and stop the fighting, as they do not know when their last moments will be.

louriannegraham@barbadostoday.bb