Hope in motion

A paraplegic senior displaced by hurricane damage is regaining a measure of independence, thanks to swift community action and quiet generosity in Green Island, Westmoreland.

The woman, Claudette Quest from Glenbrook, Westmoreland, has been paralysed from the waist down for several years and was forced to relocate to a neighbour’s home after her house was severely damaged during the recent hurricane. Her situation came to light through a simple message sent to a community WhatsApp group, and within hours, strangers mobilised to help.

Alicea Stewart-Gooden, a resident of Winchester Housing Scheme in Green Island, said the effort unfolded almost automatically.

“There is a WhatsApp group for the scheme … . Someone, Mr Miller, sent a message asking if anyone knows anybody who has a used wheelchair that they could donate,” she explained. “The message was sent in the morning, and I saw it sometime in the late afternoon.”

After noticing that no one had responded, Stewart-Gooden decided to act.

“So seeing it, I just texted the group, saying if there’s anybody here who is willing to join me in donating,” she said. “I went ahead and I got a price from Sunset Pharmacy.”

The wheelchair initially cost $40,280, but Stewart-Gooden said the pharmacy owner, Andre Brown, reduced the price after learning the purpose.

Brown owns two branches, one located in Negril, Westmoreland, where the wheelchair was sourced, and another in Orange Bay, Hanover.

“When I told the pharmacist what the purpose was, he gave us a deduction … . He said, ‘For this situation, I’ll work at $33,000 and I will put the rest,’” she said.

Within three hours, the funds were raised.

“I saw the message at 5:09 p.m. and by 7:59 p.m. I was able to text back to say we had received the money needed,” Stewart-Gooden said. “So that was like two, three hours.”

She noted that many of the contributors were people she did not know personally.

“I think I only know two of them,” she said. “Persons were driving to my house to bring the money. I didn’t know Mr Miller (either) … . I only saw him when he came to collect.”

Commitment to giving

Stewart-Gooden said her decision to lead the initiative was rooted in a personal commitment to giving.

“That’s just me, you know. Actually, it’s my passion,” she said. “Every month, I put aside $5,000 from my salary just for charitable reasons … . No matter how in need I am, I don’t touch it.”

She added, “It’s just in me to give. I am so grateful to God for my achievements, for where I’m coming from and where I am.”

Her philosophy, she explained, is shaped by perspective.

“If somebody gives me $100,000, that’s a lot for me. But if I give somebody $1,000, that’s a lot for them,” Stewart-Gooden said. “So I may not have the $100,000 that I need, but I do have the $1,000, and I will give it to somebody who it will mean a lot to.”

Gerald Miller, who initially shared the request in the WhatsApp group, said the wheelchair was urgently needed after the woman became displaced.

“Her house was severely damaged, so she’s now staying by her neighbour’s house, and she needed a wheelchair to assist her to move around.”

He said Stewart-Gooden played the central role in mobilising the donations.

“Alicea is the person who mobilised the persons within the group and got them to contribute,” Miller said. “I must say commendations to Mr Brown, the owner of Sunset Pharmacy … . He also contributed towards it.”

Miller described the response as a reminder of Jamaicans’ innate sense of community.

“It goes to show that all is not lost in Jamaica,” he said. “Despite the challenges, people were still able to come together and help someone they don’t even know.”

Stewart-Gooden believes the wheelchair will restore dignity and independence to Quest.

“She’s paralysed from the waist down, and now she had to move to her neighbour’s house and depend on them to take her to the restroom or move her around,” she said. “So now there’ll be a sense of independence for her, and the neighbours won’t be so overwhelmed.”

Still in need of assistance

Beyond the wheelchair, Miller said Quest’s family is still in need of assistance to repair her home in Glenbrook, an area near the Eastern Hanover and Westmoreland border.

“She is in need of her house to be rehabilitated so that she can get back inside,” he said. “It’s mainly the roof that needs work.”

Miller encourages anyone who is willing to assist her in rehabilitating her home to reach out via (876) 825-0331 or (876) 838-1646.

Quest, who received the wheelchair, also said life before the donation was only physical strain and emotional exhaustion.

“Before I received the wheelchair, moving around was extremely difficult,” she said. “I depended heavily on others to assist me, and sometimes I had to limit where I went because of the pain and exhaustion. Simple daily tasks like to get up to sit felt overwhelming, and I often felt frustrated and helpless.”

She said the response from the community left her deeply moved.

“When I realised the community came together to help me, I felt deeply grateful and emotional,” she said. “It reminded me that I was not alone and that people truly cared about my well-being. Their kindness gave me strength and renewed my faith in humanity.”

Since receiving the wheelchair, she said her quality of life has improved significantly.

“The wheelchair has made a huge difference in my daily life,” she said. “I now have more independence and freedom to move around on my own. It has restored a sense of dignity and confidence, and I can participate more fully in everyday activities without constantly relying on others.”

She also spoke about the emotional impact of being displaced from her home.

“The hardest part of being displaced from my home after the hurricane has been the emotional strain,” she said. “Losing the comfort and security of home has been painful, and adjusting to a new environment has not been easy. There is also the constant uncertainty about the future, which can be very stressful.”

Despite the challenges, she said she remains hopeful.

“My biggest hope right now is to regain stability and rebuild my life,” she said. “I hope to return to a safe and permanent home, continue healing physically and emotionally, and one day be in a position to help others the way I have been helped.”

She added, “Thank you for helping me. I appreciate it a lot.”

mickalia.kington@gleanerjm.com