Grief grips family of flood victim
Published:Tuesday | August 31, 2010 | 12:00 AM
Christopher Thomas, Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
A FAMILY in Norwood, Montego Bay, is in mourning following the tragic death of their relative, who was swept away by flood waters on Long Hill on Sunday.
Gigette Fletcher-Anderson, a 37-year-old entrepreneur and retired nurse, had returned home from New York, the United States, on Saturday to spend time with her family in Hendon, Norwood. She had been living in the US since age 12.
"She was a kind person, someone who always cares," said her brother, Dewayne Fletcher, who was with her at the time of the tragedy. "She was a very spiritual person and she even prayed two times before she came out of the car."
Dewayne explained that sometime after 3 p.m. on Sunday, he and his sister were on their way to Bethel Town, Westmoreland, with three other family members.
"Going up on Long Hill, the rain was falling and there wasn't much water on the road. We didn't see any (water) rushing heavily until almost halfway up the road."
According to Dewayne, who was driving the motor car, the water coming down Long Hill soon reached knee height, and cars began to be swept away by the force of the current.
Failed bid to escape
"We started coming out of our car, and we tried to go over to the embankment for refuge," he recalled. "My sister and my cousin, the water swept them away down the road, and we searched and found my cousin alive with minor injuries."
However, Fletcher-Anderson was not found until close to 7 p.m. at the bottom of a gully.
"It was then, when the fire brigade came in and did a search, they found her and brought up the body and took her away to the morgue," said Dewayne.
"It's a loss with my father, mostly, because she was the one who took care of him. To me, to lose my only sister ... we had a good relationship."
Fletcher-Anderson is also survived by her husband, Oscar, and six children, her father, George; Dewayne and another brother, Stephen.
Dolfin Doeman, acting superintendent of the St James Fire Brigade, said three other persons were injured and 17 vehicles damaged as a result of the flooding.