Runece Wright still struggling to get life back together after Beryl

WESTERN BUREAU:

The gloomy days are slowly getting better but “life is still not good” for Runece Wright and her two daughters in Parottee, St Elizabeth.

Wright, who has spoken with The Gleaner on multiple occasions since the passage of Hurricane Beryl on July 3, is still struggling to pick up the pieces. Before the hurricane, she had multiple sources of income as she raised livestock, operated a small community shop, and fished at a nearby fishing village.

However, life has changed since the passage of the category-four hurricane, which devastated her home parish.

While power has been restored to her community and residents are trying to go back to normalcy, Wright recently received devastating news that her 70-year-old father, Alton Wright, was found dead inside his home in Springfield, also in St Elizabeth, on August 25.

“I just heard that they found him dead inside of the house and he was decomposing. He went to a funeral on Sunday [August 18] and the following Sunday, they found him inside of the house dead,” Wright said.

Wright went on to explain that her father lived in a yard with other family members, however, she is unsure if they had a good relationship. She also told The Gleaner that this loss has brought a deeper hurt and frustration to an already stressful period.

“I don’t know if they got along or not, but mi really stressed out about everything. Mi nuh supposed to stress because I have a thyroid problem and if mi go stress, it may end up worse for me. Right now mi fi go a doctor and mi cya go because of my lack of funds,” said Wright.

Appeal for assistance

Meanwhile, Wright is appealing for the assistance of Good Samaritans in getting back on her feet, as she is currently unable to adequately provide for her two children, aged nine and five.

“Mi ask for help before and mi nuh get none, so mi just affi hold on and see wah gwan. Mi nuh have anything fi get or fall back pon. I want some help with both of them. Things are very bad. I wouldn’t be complaining if I had something to fall on,” she said.

In a Sunday Gleaner article, Wright bemoaned the fact that she was unable to conduct back-to-school shopping for her children. She also stated that they may be unable to attend school as she has no financial resources.

However, she has now indicated that her nine-year-old daughter is back in school.

“Mi have fi send her along with just her writing books and pencils because her aunt gave her some pencils and rubber. She is using her old uniform, and her godmother gave her a pair of new shoes. She also has her old bag,” Wright explained.

With no source of income or savings, the mother of two is struggling to find $800 for her daughter’s weekly transportation to school along with the $3,500 for her pocket money. She is hoping to get on the Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education.

“If mi come cross wah money and mi have it today, she will gwan and if mi nuh have it for the rest of week, she has to stay home,” said Wright.

At the same time, she said her younger daughter is still unable to attend school due to illness.

“She is ill right now, so mi affi try ... Any source of money mi get, mi have fi try ensure and that she sees the doctor before mi can talk about school. It nuh mek no sense send her to school and she has an illness,” she said, opting not to disclose the illness.

rochelle.clayton@gleanerjm.com