Donna George, mother of 18-year-old Rahjaun Melbourne, who tragically drowned while attempting to rescue a woman swept away by floodwaters, said she wasn’t surprised by her son's selfless actions. "Him always a help. A so him stay. He had a heart of gold," she shared. Though devastated by the loss, George noted her son was always kind and affectionate, traits that defined him. Despite hoping for a miracle, she now faces the painful reality of his passing, remembering his bravery and compassion.

No miracle for mom of teen who was washed away

Jamaica Gleaner/12 Sep 2024

THE MOTHER of a young man who lost his life, while trying to rescue a woman who was being washed away in the Sandy Gully in Waltham Park, St Andrew on Tuesday, said yesterday she had been holding out for a miracle that he would have been found alive.

“Last night, me couldn’t come to grips. Me never waa believe, I was praying for a miracle,” said a grief-stricken Donna George, who appeared to be in a daze, when she spoke with The Gleaner yesterday.

“Mi never waa believe and, after 2 (am) going to 3 (am), when mi wake up and look and see that he was really not there, a that time reality hit me,” she added.

The body of 18-year-old Rahjaun Melbourne was found by three young men in the gully near bushes in Majesty Gardens on Wednesday.

He had got into difficulties on Tuesday and was washed away by flood waters.

Melbourne had jumped into the gully to rescue the woman, who was subsequently rescued by another individual. According to police reports, the woman was among three persons who were trying to rescue pigs when she jumped into the gully and was washed away by flood waters associated with a downpour in the community.

However, George said even though her son was missing she was still hoping for a miracle.

“I really couldn’t believe. I was in denial,” said the distraught mother, recalling when she heard yesterday that his body was found.

At the sametime, George said she was not surprised that her son had jumped into the gully to help the woman.

“Him always a help. A so him stay. He had a heart of gold,” she said.

George said she was shocked when her daughter called her on Tuesday with the dreadful news as, when she left home, he was complaining of not feeling well.

“So mi a say wey him a do out there inna di rain and him nuh feel good? But I heard that he went to work ‘cause, when I came, a gentleman say little before it happen my son bring some water come give him,” she added.

AFFECTIONATE, KIND

The mother of eight also described her son as being very affectionate, kind and sociable.

“Him always a come hug you and push something inna yuh mouth fi eat,” she recalled with a smile.

In the meantime, she said his siblings, including a sister, female were not coping well as they all shared a very close bond.

Meanwhile, the trio of Leka Reid, Anthony Copeland and Shamoy Lloyd, who found Melbourne’s body, said they were haunted by his cry for help the day before and, as result, could not sleep and had got up early on Wednesday to resume the search.

“Him a try save the woman and a come down and pass the woman and him a hold pan a limb and big fridge come down and lick him and him end up dip and come up back up and the bridge lick him and him end up dip again,” they said in unison. .

The teenagers said they were looking for the young man on Tuesday evening but were unsuccessful and so they got back up early Wednesday and were looking in bushes when one of them saw Melbourne’s hands and together they pulled him out.

The young men said they were particularly trouble by the manner in which Melbourne died.

“Mi feel a way, ‘cause the people dem see de youth a drown and before dem save di youth dem a go afta di hog,” one of them said.

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