
Elizabeth, before her car accident.
My sister Elizabeth (a.k.a. Betty, or as she is known on my blog, Elaine) died on January 2, 2012.
I remember some things about Elizabeth…
I remember that she was very bright, and she did very well in school….
I also remember that she was a warm, happy charismatic person, with loads of friends and admirers.
I remember how she won the all-island Spelling Bee competition in Jamaica, and the trip to Trinidad she won as the prize.
I remember how she came first in all the island in the Common Entrance examinations, which is the exam that kids take just before going to high school.
I remember how she used to do ballet, and that she swam for her high school… I also remember her always studying, and I remember going to her high school graduation, I THINK she was the valedictorian or something, and she was in the top two or three students academically and I remember feeling so proud of her!
And I remember how she and her boyfriend used to take me to the movies all the time. I also remember that her boyfriend would always bring these sweeties (candy) for her that I loved, and me stealing them from her all the time. Yeah, she cussed me out a few times, but overall, she mostly overlooked it.
I remember her going to the University of the West Indies in Jamaica, where she got a first degree in Natural Sciences and a masters in Chemistry, and how she worked at the university for a time, helping one of the professors in some research he was doing.
I remember her going off to Canada to do an MBA, and then her coming back home and landing a great job at Citibank afterwards.
I remember her wedding, and how happy I was for her.
There are more memories too, but this thing is getting deep! Unfortunately, I also remember the car accident, and then the coma, and all the other bad shit that went down afterwards… 26 long years of suffering.
Ah boy! Now that I am dredging up the memories, I am beginning to feel really sad. I think I’m going to stop it here…
Bets, now you are free. The limitations that restricted you here on Earth are no more… now, you can fly! Go ahead… enjoy yourself, girl!
Say hi to Daddy and Richard for me, and I’ll see you when I get there.
Love you!