RADHICA DE SILVA
Senior Multimedia Reporter
radhica.sookraj@guardian.co.tt
Amidst grief and disbelief, a San Fernando family grappled with the words of nine-year-old Jace Paul who, before his death, told his aunt he got a visit from four angels.
During an emotional funeral service at the First Open Bible Church, in San Fernando, Jace’s uncle, Dexter Augustus, painted a vivid and tender portrait of a child who was the heartbeat of his family.
Through the heartache, mourners remembered Jace as a loving servant of God who believed in angels.
The child’s body was encased in a blue-and-white casket with a football balloon strapped to the front.
Jace died last week Wednesday after vomiting blood. He had been warded at the San Fernando General Hospital but died three hours after being discharged.
A post-mortem revealed a series of health complications leading to his death, including aspiration pneumonitis, focal gastritis with upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage, bilateral pneumonia, and a backdrop of uncontrolled type one diabetes mellitus.
As the casket was brought into the church, everyone was in tears.
During the eulogy, Augustus remembered his nephew’s infectious laughter, his soft voice that spoke love unabashedly, and an unwavering bond with his mother, Shantal Paul.
Saying Jace’s presence was likened to a ray of sunlight, Augustus said: “He was a reservoir of love and innocence. Every time he made a mistake and you’d reprimand him, he’d lower his head, eyes full of remorse, and promise not to do it again, but of course, it was a promise he never kept.”
He said although Jace couldn’t truly sing or dance, he never let that deter him as he ran his own YouTube channel.
“He would always be singing and practising his dance moves,” the distraught uncle said.
He noted that weekends and month-ends held a special place in Jace’s heart.
“He was always ready for road trips with his granny, impeccably dressed in a hat and light-up shoes,” the uncle recalled.
Augustus said Jace would call his granny, cheekily asking if she had received her pay, and would take charge of the music during their road trip adventures.
“He loved to eat steamed vegetables, cowheel soup, and he loved going to restaurants. His love for shiny Hotwheel cars was unmatched,” Augustus recalled.
Jace was laid to rest at the Roodal cemetery. The South West Regional Health Authority has since launched an investigation into the death, extending condolences to the bereaved family.
