Every now and then CaribDirect comes across interesting stories that warrant sharing but some are far more incredible and ludicrous, bordering on stupid that must be published forthwith. The following is an article published by St Lucia News Online that can only be described as ‘unbelievable’.
Caribbean news. A mother who said she has been unable to bury her 20-year-old son, due to financial difficulties, has declined a free offer by a local funeral home and has opted to undergo the expenses with another funeral home.
Shirley Vonna Barthelmy- the mother of deceased Dylan ‘Ti Blow’ Barthelmy- who died in a vehicular accident over two months ago, told SNO she’s decided to stick with Rambally’s Funeral Parlour, where her son’s body has been stored since his death.
Inset: Photo of Dylan Barthelmy who has not been buried two months after the accident. Photo courtesy stlucianewsonline.com
Since St Lucia New Online (SNO) broke the story on the 36-year-old woman’s plight, she has received several calls from the public, with offers to help her financially.
Consequently, the management of Crick’s Funeral Home expressed its intention last week, to bury her son at no cost to her. However, she told SNO Monday that she has turned down the offer.
“Rambally has the body now and since I had deposited some money already, I find it was a little drastic to take the body from them and give it to another company even though it is for free. So I didn’t take the offer,” Barthelmy explained.
According to her, the Welfare Division donated ,500 towards funeral expenses, but more money was needed to pay Rambally Funeral Parlour.
She also informed that Rambally’s Funeral Parlour was no longer accepting donations on her behalf due to difficulties and that all will have to be done through her account.
Shirley said she hopes to bury her son next week, “but since I am still short (on the funds) I was hoping that whoever it is can donate whatever they can for me because I am a mother of seven and I have six (of them) alive.”
Her last child is about a year old.
Her son, Dylan was the pillion rider on a motorcycle which collided with a SUV on the Micoud Highway on Saturday, November 23, 2013. The motorcycle was being driven by 23-year-old Alvin “Scam” Flavius of Anse Ger, Desruisseaux, who also died. Flavius has since been buried.
Barthelmy who’s without a job was challenged in sourcing some ,000 more to bury her son.
“I don’t have money to bury him. I am looking everywhere for help,” she said in a previous interview, adding “My family had given me a little something, a ,000. I did make the deposit but I can’t come up with the rest.”
She denied reports that Dylan’s father had offered or given any money to bury him. Article courtesy http://www.stlucianewsonline.com
