Lt Stitchie’s wife expresses gratitude for support amid gospel veteran’s health battle

“It’s tougher than steel right now” is how Sophia Laing, the wife of Cleveland ‘Lt Stitchie’ Laing, on Thursday described the financial needs of the reggae-turned-gospel artiste who is now in a rehabilitative facility following a severe brain haemorrhage that had previously left him unresponsive.

“It is indeed hard. Hard is not even the adjective right now … This is really hard for us right now ... Despite what we are going through, I’m still giving thanks, because one of the songs that Stitchie sings, and persons love that song, Lord, I Thank You For Today and regardless of what we are going through, we give thanks ... and for this to happen to such a stalwart and energetic individual, and to see where he’s at, it’s really heart-rending,” Laing said, giving an update on the ailing gospel figure.

“He is more alert than he has ever been. We give God thanks for that. No words, no nothing verbal, but he’s moving his lips as if he wants to respond. It’s no words, but we give God thanks,” she said.

Addressing the family’s need to turn to fundraising, his wife spoke of how expensive medical treatment can be. “When sickness comes, you’d be surprised to see how quickly it wipes out whatever you have,” she said.

She was speaking during a handover of $150,000 from the Sterling Gospel Music Awards which was pooled from donations made at the October awards ceremony.

Around $100,000 was donated by guests at The Sterling Gospel Music Awards, which was matched up to half by the organisers of the event.

Laing also established a GoFundMe for Lt Stitchie, which to date has raised US$22,530 of its US$100,000 goal. Earlier this month, fellow entertainer Rodney ‘Bounty Killer’ Pryce’s Bounty Foundation donated US$10,000 ($1.5 million) to the cause for the artiste who turned 59 on September 29.

Laing also thanked everyone else who donated such as Perry’s Funeral Home, gospel veteran Goddy Goddy, Pastor Ryan Mark from Pure in Heart Ministries, DJ Nicholas, and reggae icon Burning Spear.

Speaking after the handover, she said God had already started the healing process with Lt Stitchie after all the risks associated with the surgery he underwent on August 15.

Laing said when she saw Lt Stitchie coming on the bed after the surgery, she rejoiced and said, “Lord, thank you. That’s one victory”.

“When you engage him in a conversation, you see him moving the lips as if he wants to respond,” she said.

“We give God thanks he’s able to move his hands. He’s recognising voices, and he’s just there now waiting, and we just ask God to just give us the patience, the grace to be patient, and to wait for what He is doing in Stitchie’s life, because we are all people of faith and we believe one of these days when I walk into that room, I’m going to see him sitting up in the bed and saying, ‘Whappen Sophie?’ and I am looking forward to that. God acts upon the desires of our hearts, and I believe that whatever God is doing, He’s going well, and it is well because whatever He does, it’s quite well done,” she said.

Laing says she is also grateful that Lieutenant Stitchie does not have a tube for breathing and his eyes are open.

She shared that the Christian fraternity has been very supportive, which she is extremely thankful for.

“The Christian fraternity is really contributing. I need to let that be known out there. The Christian community, not just monetary, but [through] prayers, and that’s what we need for Cleveland Laing right now ... I thank everyone for reaching out and allowing God to speak to your heart to do what you did. I thank you very much,” she said.

Basillia Barnaby-Cuff, founder and director of The Sterling Gospel Music Awards, after handing over the cheque of $150,000, shared that as a wife herself, she could not imagine Laing’s pain.

“We are here with you. We are here for you, and as much as we can do to support [you], we will continue to support you. I can’t imagine what the family must be going through, and it is incumbent on us as Christians, as humans, to be there for each other because it could happen to any of us,” Barnaby-Cuff said, before handing over the cheque.

Lieutenant Stitchie made his name as a sound system artiste in his native Spanish Town, St Catherine, before achieving mainstream success in the mid-1980s with the humorous hit Wear Yuh Size. That was followed by other hits, such as Natty Dread and Big Broad Hips.

After recording three albums for Atlantic Records, Stitchie became a Christian in 1997 and has recorded several gospel albums.

ainsworth.morris@gleanerjm.com