Latest update April 19th, 2024 12:59 AM
Oct 04, 2015 News
The Patrice Vanbuckley nee DeAbreu Story
By Mondale Smith
She had a pretty face and her makeup was as they say ‘on fleek’ while her hair was flowing. She glowed with bright eyes and a smile that said; ‘hey I’m your friend,’ even when her lips did not utter a word.
So cool was her personality that many guys would have wanted her by their side. Parents must have wished that their daughters were as physically beautiful as she was. Many girls wished that they could be as flawless as her. She could have easily been a beauty queen with a bright future.
She almost graduated from the Carnegie School of Home Economics right here in Guyana.
This month marks seven months since that very sad day in March of this year that forever remains etched in my mind and the memories of all the people who cared and maybe that of those who didn’t.
No matter how we say we are prepared to see a loved one go when the time comes letting go is impossible even when reality dictates that this is it. Tears flowed like a river and the outpouring of grief was obvious from all reports. I was in a strange land when I got the news of that once skinny little girl, turned into a beautiful swan, who sadly passed away.
How and why some may ask as her family and friends still try to make sense of it all even today.
But here are some considerations… The world in this day and age is a crude place and people with their words and actions are heartless.
REWIND MONTHS EARLIER
As she made her way to school many days she made friends or so called friends and confided in some that she had an unexplained illness from childhood. She told them her truth and was simply grateful for life.
Reportedly doctors couldn’t find what was wrong with her but of course others had their own opinions which they were not afraid to spread in idle, harsh, uncaring words that CUT DEEP INTO the mental fabric of this beautiful soul.
She kept a brave face and tried to concentrate on her studies to have a bright future. But when THE GOSSIP became more than SHE COULD BEAR, behind that beautiful smile she cracked and ultimately quit her studies at the Carnegie School of Home Economic.
Some of her classmates remained friends and kept in contact while the guile deliverers of Gallic love appeared to have won.
Depression stepped in like a thief in the night and gnawed away at her soul. She started falling into that deep dark hole of self doubt. Eventually with the right support this beauty regained strength, or so it seemed, and managed to complete her studies at another institution.
All seemed well as she would post the most beautiful pictures of herself on social media. Her radiance did not find favour with those who were bent on doing her in.
They messaged her, laugh as she passed them, mocked and talked her name in some of the nastiest of ways. No amount of efforts of deflection worked. Yes, while they were not sure of her illness they non-the-less spread the ignorant, evil, unsubstantiated stories that she supposedly had a terminal illness even though she made it clear that doctors couldn’t find what her illness really was.
Their words were sharper than a samurai’s sword. She pretended to be ignoring but inside she was slowly dying…again she was broken mentally. She stayed in bed crying her eyes out and questioning the reason. Why?
Those who were tasked with being their sister’s keeper were overflowing with envious, uncaring, compassion-less bullism and this took a toll a damning toll on her.
Often she would appear emotionally and mentally unstable. Again she started the free fall in the dark hole of depression and self doubt. Her soul was shattered and her physical anatomy dwindled until alas, she gave up the ghost.
Patrice Vanbuckley nee De Abreu who had gotten married five months prior died at age 21.
Murdered! Not by knives nor gunshots nor by accident but by words laced with daggers from tongues that lashed out and whispering spears from so called friends which created doubt.
As news spread of her passing some of those same people got all emotional on social network as if they cared. They posted some of the nicest words one day before she was cremated and even showed up with tears flowing for her funeral service.
TRIBUTES were all GLOWING AND FLOWERS did abound, FOR A BEAUTIFUL SOUL THAT IS NO LONGER AROUND. THEY spoke the Sweetest THINGS TO SAY THAT THEY CARED BUT TOO LITTLE; TOO LATE SHE IS NO LONGER HERE… LIFE, Unfair!
The final chance to see her laying there like sleeping beauty was heart wrenching. However, in this case not even the kisses of prince charming with hazel to green eyes and broad shoulders could have made her arise from that slumber of lifelessness. She had however gotten a chance to marry her prince charming.
The freshness of disbelief for some sent them to her Facebook page to vent: “I don’t know what’s going on. Is this really true that pet died? OMG! Can some close, friend or family message me just to say what’s up or what went wrong am in shock I just saw a pic on my bbm saying RIP.” To this date questions and more questions abound.
Could hatred be so deep that love could not save her from the ultimate demise of the daggers of perceived public opinion?
Could discrimination be so sharp that it could cut a soul asunder ripping the hearts of those who truly love this beauty into splinters?
Yes it can, whispering spears can kill and her lifeless body in a white wooden coffin proved it on that dreaded day in March of 2015.
“I am still in deep shock and I’m lost of words trying to put the pieces together. Like really wake me up if I am dreaming! I can’t even find words at the moment. Only twenty one and gone, really gone, never to come back, never to smile at nor with me, never to laugh, never to cry ever again.” Such is the out pouring of Sarafina Edghill on the day of her normally bubbly, full of life friend’s funeral.
They had spent time planning her 22nd birthday celebrations which was a month away…But as the old saying goes you are here today and then you are not tomorrow.
“Watching you laying there lifeless with the fire on your body burning, knowing that you are free from all your pains… you planned your wedding and funeral at the same time.”
Sarafina Edghill in tribute continued, “Watching your pretty face a few minutes back, you seemed as if you were alive. The way your brother spoke about you was touching. I am still in tears R.I.P BABY DOLL.”
Only at this time you really know who your real friends are and who had your back from the very start up until THE END.
Many have sit and talked about your life and the way you went…That’s life you can’t stop anyone from thinking the way they do. You WILL FOREVER AND ALWAYS BE IN OUR HEARTS.”
To some she was a friend and to her parents and relatives she was their Barbie. A fashion model and one time beauty queen who was full of life but in stark contrast in a world full of people alone she burnt.
Her smile is no more. Her body is but ashes placed in an urn for scattering by her relatives and her husband of just five months. Yes she was cremated!
“This makes me sad… I met her in person and hired her for a day as a model for Sharon’s building. She seemed happy, I’m hurt now to know that she was hurting and I didn’t know,” Carwyn Holland a Guyanese promoter wrote in reflection.
This gets closer and closer… this young lady’s brother Collis was shot and killed many years ago outside a night club in Albertown. He was one of my good friends and her brother Alkis De Abreu and I shared the same stage in 1993 when we both won our categories of Guyana Star Search. Turns out that her US based husband was an associate of mine too but even that could not change the reality.
Discriminating, Gossip and deceit ultimately lead to this. Nobody is perfect. Word can hurt and for the bullies who never imagined that words could hurt and kill this is what you have left a little brother Deon Deabreu and her entire family with. By talking her down and hating her to death because you wanted to score cheap points for your friends and self esteem… Deal with it!
There is no known local law to address such an issue of Cyber or other forms of Bullying but hate, envy and jealousy killed her, not her illness… words and actions toward and about her KILLED HER, I am convinced.
Where is the BETTER MANAGEMENT/RENEGOTIATION OF THE OIL CONTRACTS you promised Jagdeo?
Apr 19, 2024
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