Why 13?

On my mind tonight is the reality that life is fragile and the next moment is promised to no one! THIS IS LONG but a tribute to my dad.

The picture below is my dad at my brother’s funeral on April 13, 2019. Who would have known that exactly 3 months later, July 13, 2019 my strong, lively dad would be no more? The senseless thing is we had no clue that he was dead until August 13....why is this number 13 being so prevalent in these tragic circumstances?

While I was busy hosting Vacation Bible School in Guyana, my dad was dead and I had not a clue. This year 2019! It is just over the half way mark and it has left us in so much pain. Is God trying to get our attention? First He took the icon of our family- Dr.Linden Lord, now He has removed the head of our household, James Lord, Snr.

In times like these we ask why, but I am not asking that question because God knows best and whatever He does is well done.

Even though I didn’t know it then, my dad and I had our final conversation on the morning of April 14 when he said, “Fiona I want to talk with you.” My mom and two brothers were there so we were all in the conversation.

Possibly after burying his son, the day prior, he had reflections during the night. He said he is 80 and should anything happen to him he has made preparations regarding his assets; he then instructed us on how to dispose of his body and where. After listening to his well thought out plans, I realized something was missing.

“Dad,” I said, “you have made arrangements for everything, have you made arrangements for your soul? Have you decided where you would spend eternity when you die?”

“Nah,” he said matter-of-factly, “me ain’t think about that.”

“Would you want to do so now?” I asked.

“Yes, me could,” he responded.

There in our dining room with angels rejoicing my father bowed his head and repeated the sinner’s prayer.

It was the last conversation my dad and I had....

I don’t know what is God’s plan but being God, he has to have a plan! VBS that my husband and I hosted in Agricola, I don’t know how we would have done it had I learned on July 13 my dad was dead; VBS was hosted from July 15 - 21.

The fact that the hospital was preparing to bury my dad as an unidentified man on August 13, the same day we identified him is enough to send praises up to God. Had my dad been buried, there would have been no closure for us...BUT GOD!

The sad details are that on July 5 my dad left home as usual to go to the market at La Penitence, he was struck by a minivan while trying to cross the road; the driver took him to the hospital where he remained unconscious and he later succumbed to his injuries on July 13. He was without identification, hence no one knew whom he was.

Thanks to my lil bro, Darren who did some investigation, pulling cameras both at the scene of the accident and at the ICU of the hospital where he spent his last days. alone. As a result we now have footage of the accident and pictures of him while in ICU. But then again, he was not alone because the driver of the minivan that hit him acted as family. Thank you, Sir! Guess Darren has his name. You took nutritious food for our dad and sat with him during his unconscious hours in the ICU - Thank You!

We have indicated to the police we will not go through with any court proceedings against this Good Samaritan.

On August 13 my sister’s coworker saw an article in the papers which stated police are still trying to find the family of an unidentified man who was struck down on July 5. Well that was my dad.

Prior to that, We searched high and low and reported his absence to the police, however, we did not find him. On checking the Georgetown Hospital my brother was told there is no one by that name and there was no unidentified person hospitalized at that time. On 8/13 when my family identified the body the hospital apologized, stating that when my brothers checked earlier, they, the hospital, did not check ICU. My dad was in the ICU from 7/5 - 7/13 when he died.

We will just let it go. Life is short and fragile. Even the police erred by not disseminating information amongst the stations. What the Lord doesn’t allow, He hinders.

The most challenging part to comprehend - and it creates an unspeakable pain, I believe in all of our hearts - about all of this is the fact that my dad made 10 children... I cannot speak for our two siblings he had out of wedlock...but for the 8 of us, he gave us his all! We were never left without and he loved us unconditionally.... he believed my mother should stay home and look after us, he never wanted her to work outside of the home - although she disobeyed and took a job for a week or two. When she complained about negative treatment on the job, he told her he didn’t send her there. But in spite of all of this, my dad died alone! No goodbyes, no kisses, no hugs! 😢HOWEVER, he was a loner, who knows, he may not have wanted it any other way (of course, I don’t mean how he died and was unidentified for 6 weeks).

He was cremated quickly on Tuesday because the body had started to decompose. I couldn’t make it. I spent Tuesday just crying at my desk in my office.

And those sad, uncontrollable tears are flowing again.

REST IN PEACE DAD! I love you and always will!

- Contributed by FH