By Dale McNish,
Freelance Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
Winston Raymond, father of the 12-year old Hampton High School student who was killed by a falling electricity pole nearly two weeks ago, said the grief-counselling sessions organised for his wife and himself by the school is doing very little to cushion his grief.
"Tell you the truth, it's barely helping... there's nothing right now that can ease the pain and replace the loss of my daughter," said Mr. Raymond, who had a close relationship with his daughter.
At the end of each session, Mr. Raymond religiously strolls to the spot on the school compound where his daughter met her untimely death, an indication that he is still in denial and what some persons considered to be counterproductive to the healing process.
Funeral
His only daughter, Cherice, will be buried today following a service of thanksgiving for her life at the Bethlehem Moravian Church in Malvern, St. Elizabeth. Her body will lie in state for an hour at Hampton, then taken across to the church at 12 noon for the 2 p.m. funeral.
Classes at Hampton will be suspended for most of the day.
Cherice was killed and two other 12-year old girls injured in what police described "a freak accident" which occurred at the school on the afternoon of March 23. A truck reportedly drove onto the school's compound to deliver goods, a section of the vehicle came into contact with the lines of the utility pole causing it to break.
The pole fell, hitting the girls who were standing nearby.
Following the tragedy, the school has been providing daily counselling sessions for the student population and the Raymonds, the sessions are being conducted by a prominent psychologist.
The school's acting principal Joan Linton, told the Gleaner that the counselling will be offered as long as it is necessary. "It is for the entire student body, who are now coming to terms with the tragedy, but particular emphasis is being placed on the class that Cherice was apart," she said. According to Mr. Raymond: "The school is playing its part and they are offsetting most of the funeral expenses, but it is a tough period for my family."
"I'm still finding myself getting up in the mornings to wake her and the other children to get ready for school. I went to her room this morning to wake her up and when I didn't see her mi just go back go lie down," he told the Gleaner on Tuesday.
His wife Dahlia is said to be the stronger one, "she is holding up better than me and I think the counselling is helping her," Mr. Raymond conceded.
In the meantime, the school administration is also assisting the families of Samara Vasciana and Saran Robinson, who have since returned to institution. "Hampton over the years is known to be a caring institution and this is one of the many ways in which we are living up to our tradition," said acting vice-principal Ramdeen Singh.
