Injured friend told of death...Worried mom appeals for help
Renuka Singh (T&T Express)
Tamar Watson finally learnt yesterday afternoon what the world knew three days ago: Jizelle Salandy, her best friend, was dead.
The painful news came as she was moved from the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Port of Spain General Hospital to a public ward at the same institution. The announcement was initially kept from her as doctors were worried about her stress levels during an already difficult time.
But even though she sustained two broken legs and a damaged collarbone in the accident that claimed the life of boxing heroine Jizelle Salandy, Tamar refused to blame her friend for the accident.
She told her mother, Valerine Judy Watson, that a depression in the road caused Salandy to lose control of the Toyota Yaris car she was driving along the Churchill Roosevelt Highway, near National Petroleum Company.
Despite the accident that left her daughter in ICU for the past three days, Watson feels no ill-will towards Salandy, who she described as her "other daughter."
"Jizelle saved my daughter's life," Watson said yesterday, again sitting outside the ICU.
"Tamar said that on the drive back from the airport, Jizelle told her to recline her seat. If Tamar was sitting up, I would have lost two daughters on Sunday. Both of them should have been here, even if they were hurt, they would have been alive. But God knows best and even now I will continue to give Him the glory!"
While mourning the loss of one "child", Watson is also very worried about her surviving child's US-based soccer scholarship.
"Tamar was supposed to return to the US on January 13. That is obviously not going to happen now," Watson said.
If her daughter is unable to take up her place at the school, Watson worries that she will lose the scholarship.
Watson hopes that the Government could intervene on her daughter's behalf to help her keep her place, since it is the only thing "to keep Tamar going right now".
While the family is grateful for the outpouring of support in this difficult time, Watson said the reality of the situation often makes her cry.
"I am a single mother, I live in one room, the cost of the things that Tamar needs are so high, that I need help."
Watson adds that she does not want anyone to think that she is asking for handouts or begging for money,
"I just cannot afford some of the simple things that she needs. I hurts my heart as a mother to know she needs things and I cannot afford them."
The subdued mom adds that while some people are kind, others can be cruel.
"There was a headline in the Guardian that disgusted me. How could they say that Jizelle was knocked out? She was not 'knocked out'! She died! They have no respect for the family who reading that rubbish," said Watson.
"God is a good God. Without His guidance, I wouldn't be able to stand here and deal with this."
She said that only God deserves fame, and even though her daughters were famous, they were humble.
"I just don't want anybody to say anything bad about those two girls. Jizelle was a butterfly, Tamar is so sweet. They don't deserve this."
Tamar was visited twice by former national goalkeeper Shaka Hislop. While he was not allowed to see her while she was in the ICU, he returned when he learned she was moved to the public ward.
Before entering the ward, Hislop was just hoping to talk with her and let her know that her friends are still here for her.
"She is in a tough situation, I just hope to offer her support because right now she needs as much as she can get."
