From murky waters to National Honours

4711
The National awardees
  • Three Montego Bay men to get Badge of Honour for Gallantry

When floodwaters ravaged sections of Montego Bay last November, three men – Jevon Lewis, Aristel Saint-Joy, and Lloyd Nelson, braved the overwhelming waters which cost the city millions, to rescue five persons, including a baby. As a result of their selfless heroics, on Monday, October 15, National Heroes Day, the men will each receive the Badge of Honour for Gallantry on the lawns of King’s House at the National Honours and Awards Ceremony.

On November 22, 2017, as each man went about his respective duties across the city, Saint-Joy and Nelson both barbers, and Lewis a fruit vendor, none had imagined that the light drizzles that started early in the day would have changed the course of their lives forever.

“I was at work waiting for the rain to stop,” explained Saint-Joy, who hails from Anse-d’Hainault, Grand’Anse, Haiti, and now lives in Spot Valley, St. James with his wife and two young daughters. “But then I looked outside and I noticed the water was rising and persons were being evacuated from nearby buildings,” revealed the 22-year-old, who moved to Jamaica four years ago.

For thirty-eight-year-old Catherine Hall, Montego Bay resident, Nelson, who works at Shantia’s Salon, just two doors down from Saint-Joys place of employment (Groomer’s Barber Shop), he too witnessed the early drizzle, but thought little of it.

“The rain was falling, but no one thought there would be a flood,” the father of three, who sometimes moonlights as a singer, explained. He continued: “The rain fell for hours and hours until I saw the water rising, but people still did not take it seriously. When the water got to the steps (of the salon), persons still did not get alarmed, but then the water got to the doorway and persons decided that now was the time to evacuate.”

The situation, however, soon became clearer to those in Nelson’s shop, and others close by, that the continuously pouring rain was no ordinary Wednesday downpour. Not long after, when staff of the salon had to retreat to the roof of the building with their valuables, Nelson found himself wading in waist-deep waters.

As he busied himself in the dangerously and rapidly rising waters, attempting to save the appliances he could, a chilling cry stopped the barber in his tracks.

“Someone on the roof cried, ‘Ova deh suh! Ova deh suh!’ pointing across the street to the Union Street Auto Shop. I knew there was a young lady working there who recently had a baby, plus she had a young daughter as well. Both were with her in the building,” Nelson recalled. He further revealed that he had witnessed the young woman and her children leave earlier, but did not know they had returned.

Almost impulsively, Nelson made his way out of his shop, and in the waters, which had washed away several cars, began swimming towards the auto shop.

Moved just the same by the crying voices of the women on the roof pointing to the auto shop, 27-year-old Lewis, who had found himself on Union Street that day, did not hesitate. The well-known fruit vendor, who usually sells on Deer Lane, began swimming almost immediately, joining Nelson, who had already made his way to the scene.

While those events took place, Mr. Saint-Joy’s colleagues made their way to the roof of the barbershop, but he opted to stay back, along with another co-worker, in an attempt to salvage some appliances. Like the men drawn to the voices in distress before him, however, Saint-Joy too soon recognized the women and children in danger.

“I saw a rescue attempt taking place across the street, so my co-worker and I offered our assistance,” Mr Saint-Joy stated.

He then swam across the street and proceeded to assist Mr. Lewis and Mr. Nelson in the rescue of the women and children, helping them to climb to the roof of the auto shop and a nearby wall.

RECOGNITION

A few weeks later, after successfully pulling off the daring rescue, all three men went back to their regular lives. That would not continue for long, however, as one of the grateful women who were rescued wrote a letter to the Prime Minister. Now, the men, who have all been hailed as heroes, will now officially be recognized as such in the coming days.

When asked if they would go through their daring rescue again, dodging floating cars and debris in murky, dangerous waters, all three men gave a resounding yes.

JIS NEWS

 

324 COMMENTS

  2. farmacie online affidabili [url=http://farmaciaonline.men/#]comprare farmaci online all’estero[/url] acquisto farmaci con ricetta

  12. zithromax order online uk [url=http://azithromycinotc.store/#]azithromycin 500 mg buy online[/url] buy zithromax online with mastercard

  65. canadian pharmacy review: canada pharmacy – best canadian pharmacy canadapharmacy.guru
    mexican border pharmacies shipping to usa [url=https://mexicanpharmacy.company/#]mexican pharmaceuticals online[/url] buying from online mexican pharmacy mexicanpharmacy.company

  74. certified canadian international pharmacy: canada rx pharmacy – my canadian pharmacy rx canadapharmacy.guru
    п»їlegitimate online pharmacies india [url=https://indiapharmacy.pro/#]online pharmacy india[/url] indianpharmacy com indiapharmacy.pro

  79. pharmacy website india: top 10 pharmacies in india – reputable indian online pharmacy indiapharmacy.pro
    mexican mail order pharmacies [url=https://mexicanpharmacy.company/#]mexican pharmaceuticals online[/url] buying prescription drugs in mexico mexicanpharmacy.company

  82. canada pharmacy online: pharmacy canadian superstore – canadian pharmacy 365 canadapharmacy.guru
    purple pharmacy mexico price list [url=https://mexicanpharmacy.company/#]best online pharmacies in mexico[/url] mexican mail order pharmacies mexicanpharmacy.company

  85. world pharmacy india: canadian pharmacy india – top 10 pharmacies in india indiapharmacy.pro
    canadian pharmacy no rx needed [url=https://canadapharmacy.guru/#]canadapharmacyonline legit[/url] canadian pharmacy price checker canadapharmacy.guru

  142. buying prescription drugs in mexico [url=http://mexicopharmacy.store/#]top mail order pharmacy from Mexico[/url] buying from online mexican pharmacy

  155. acquisto farmaci con ricetta [url=https://tadalafilit.store/#]Farmacie a milano che vendono cialis senza ricetta[/url] migliori farmacie online 2023

  157. viagra ordine telefonico [url=http://sildenafilit.bid/#]alternativa al viagra senza ricetta in farmacia[/url] pillole per erezione in farmacia senza ricetta

  158. comprare farmaci online all’estero [url=http://tadalafilit.store/#]Farmacie a milano che vendono cialis senza ricetta[/url] п»їfarmacia online migliore

  162. farmacie on line spedizione gratuita [url=https://farmaciait.pro/#]farmacie on line spedizione gratuita[/url] farmacia online

  171. farmacia online envГ­o gratis [url=http://tadalafilo.pro/#]comprar cialis online seguro[/url] farmacia online internacional

  181. acheter mГ©dicaments Г  l’Г©tranger [url=https://pharmacieenligne.guru/#]Medicaments en ligne livres en 24h[/url] Pharmacie en ligne livraison gratuite

  184. SildГ©nafil Teva 100 mg acheter [url=https://viagrasansordonnance.store/#]Acheter du Viagra sans ordonnance[/url] SildГ©nafil Teva 100 mg acheter

  187. Viagra en france livraison rapide [url=https://viagrasansordonnance.store/#]Acheter du Viagra sans ordonnance[/url] Viagra 100 mg sans ordonnance

  189. acheter mГ©dicaments Г  l’Г©tranger [url=https://levitrafr.life/#]Levitra pharmacie en ligne[/url] acheter medicament a l etranger sans ordonnance

  198. online apotheke gГјnstig [url=http://apotheke.company/#]apotheke online versandkostenfrei[/url] versandapotheke versandkostenfrei

  201. Pretty section of content. I just stumbled upon your site and in accession capital to assert that I get in fact enjoyed account
    your blog posts. Anyway I will be subscribing to your augment and
    even I achievement you access consistently quickly.

  202. mexican online pharmacies prescription drugs [url=http://mexicanpharmacy.cheap/#]buying from online mexican pharmacy[/url] medicine in mexico pharmacies

  204. buying prescription drugs in mexico [url=http://mexicanpharmacy.cheap/#]reputable mexican pharmacies online[/url] reputable mexican pharmacies online

  207. mail order pharmacy india [url=http://indiapharmacy.guru/#]indian pharmacy paypal[/url] top 10 online pharmacy in india indiapharmacy.guru

  212. Online medicine home delivery [url=https://indiapharmacy.guru/#]indian pharmacy paypal[/url] world pharmacy india indiapharmacy.guru

  215. online shopping pharmacy india [url=http://indiapharmacy.guru/#]п»їlegitimate online pharmacies india[/url] online pharmacy india indiapharmacy.guru

  217. canadianpharmacyworld [url=http://canadiandrugs.tech/#]online canadian pharmacy reviews[/url] northwest canadian pharmacy canadiandrugs.tech

  220. canadian mail order pharmacy [url=https://canadiandrugs.tech/#]canadianpharmacymeds[/url] canadian pharmacy uk delivery canadiandrugs.tech

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here