Captain Blake Roper remembered as an exceptional individual

AN EXCEPTIONAL individual who has left an indelible mark on our hearts and the legacy of Wolmer’s High School for Boys is how Duane Extol remembered his classmate Captain Blake James Roper during the thanksgiving service for his life at National Indoor Sports Centre yesterday.

From Campion College, he entered Wolmer’s in fourth form and spent the next four years forging lifelong friendships and excelling at sports, Extol shared.

“The next four years of his stay with us at Wolmer’s we saw his dedication, passion and talent in so many different ways, with his hockey, singing, playing his guitar service to others. He shone brightly, especially at hockey. I remember Blake and others playing in the under-19 finals in the year 2008. We lost 1-0 to Munro and outside of everybody, Blake was the most distraught and I said, ‘Blake wha happen to you? we lost’. Him say, ‘yea but we nuh just lose, we lost to Munro’,” said Extol.

“Blake James Roper, an outstanding alumnus of our institution, has departed from this world and leaves behind a trail of remarkable achievements and memories that will forever be cherished. We saw a young man who never took things personal or took himself or others too seriously,” he added.

The 31-year-old Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) member was killed when, from all indications, he lost control of his Volkswagen Jetta motorcar about 1 a.m. on Saturday, June 10, after failing to negotiate the Harbour View roundabout while heading to the Norman Manley International Airport.

In June 2010, the then 18-year-old was among 12 international students who won scholarships to read for a bachelor’s degree at the United States Naval Academy in Maryland, United States of America, opting to follow in the footsteps of his father Lieutenant Colonel Geoffrey Roper, then a commanding officer in the JDF Air Wing.

Always challenging himself

The discipline installed by the naval academy and his subsequent enlistment in the JDF did very little to tame the maverick in Roper, who was always challenging himself to learn new skills and reach new heights and as usual, always excelling. He served the force for eight years and up to his death was at the Maritime Air and Cyber Command. He was a recipient of the Medal of Honour for General Service with Clasp.

However, Captain Roper also excelled as a warrior outside of camp, according to Adam Gomes, who offered some insight into the personality of his very close friend.

“He stood tall on the battlefield of justice, advocating for the less fortunate and ensuring their voices were heard and their needs met. His wit, humility, intelligence and remarkable accomplishments mirrored only the strength of his character, resonating with all who had the privilege of knowing him,” said Gomes.

An avid sportsman, who distinguished himself in hockey, he also excelled at playing the guitar, singing and dancing and Blake was characterised as somewhat of a free spirit. How he got up on the Wolmer’s High School for Boys’ roof is still a mystery, some of his schoolmates reminisced, but what was even more compelling for them was his audacity in chasing down a bucket truck owned by a telecommunications company and convincing the crew to use their equipment to recover his footwear.

Parents Janice and Lieutenant Colonel (retired) Geoffrey Roper and his brother Robert and the many relatives, friends and well-wishers who turned out to say goodbye all recalled that Captain Blake Roper was “never above, never below, (but) always beside”.