Romaine Daley remains resolute in his quest for greatness

Twenty-one-year old Romaine Daley is no stranger to loss. In fact, it seemed as if it was all he knew.

Having had his family torn away from him by death and dishonour, the young man had to rely on his faith to help him through the various stages of his life.

"My father went away and left us when I was three years old. After a while, I was living with my mother and stepdad. My mother died when I was seven and my stepfather sent me away from my family home to live with his family in another parish," he shared.

Daley recalls what life was like living with his stepfamily, stating that he learnt a lot from them and their lifestyle.

According to him: "They instilled morals in me that I carry with me even today. They are church people, and because of that, I never missed church. I basically grew up in the church."

The young man, who held true to the values, morals and practices of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, to which he was introduced, explained to Family & Religion that he was denied job opportunities because of his inability to work on Saturdays, his day of worship.

It was not until one night when he happened to help a woman who was struggling to carry her bags across the street that things started looking up for him.

"When we got to the other side of the road, she started asking me about work, and I told her I was searching. She was working at Grand Pineapple and introduced me to the training programme there," recalled Daley. A conversation which gave way to his training and later employment at said organisation.

But while the work chapter of Daley's life was still being penned, the chapter on family endured another tragedy. This time, it was the death of his brother.

"My brother was killed right in front of me. I was emotionally wrecked. I was unable to sleep. I moved away from the community and made several trips to the doctor," he said.

However, despite the emotional and hurtful journey that he was made to travel, Daley remained resolute in his quest for greatness.

PUSHING PAST THE PAIN

"I received the award for smile and courtesy and I received the mover and shaker award. No one could tell what I was going through because I was determined to push past the pain. The awards reminded me that I should not go seeking revenge. I should leave everything in God's hands," a seemingly emotional Daley shared.

Now, just a year later, and after three years with the company, Daley has copped one of the most coveted awards and that is the Diamond Team Member award, one that speaks to his proven resilience.

"I cannot even describe the way I feel. When I look back on my life and where I'm coming from, this award is proof that we should never give up and that with the right mindset, we can achieve anything," Daley said.

Daley is currently employed to Sandals Negril, Grand Pineapple Negril's sister property. At Sandals, he serves in the capacity of junior concierge agent, yet another indication of his relentless push to grow.

S. K. M.