Widowed mom of 7 fears house collapse

AFTER being forced to fend for herself and her seven children, after her husband was shot dead by police a year ago, a 32-year-old woman is seeking the public’s help in rebuilding her two-bedroom home which she claims is on the verge of collapse. A frustrated Wendy Gomes, who is mother to five girls and two boys between the ages of 11 months and 17 years, said she is living in constant fear that her house at Bayshore in Marabella could collapse on her family at any time.

Gomes said after her husband Miguel “Goat” Williams was shot dead by police last year, she had no one to turn to for support in taking care of the children who include Wendell, 17, Makita, 14, Kendell, 12, Keashell, nine, Moesha, six, Mikesha, three and Monique, 11 months, who celebrates her first birthday next week. The flooring of the house has grown weak through dry rot and shakes constantly, Gomes said. Things are so bad, she claimed, the family usually “tiptoes around the house” out of fear that too much weight could collapse the flooring. Several bricks have been placed below the flooring to delay the shaking floor’s collapse. 

Last December, because of the weak flooring boards, Gomes decided to remove the heavy refrigerator from the house. The fridge no longer works. Lengths of galvanise on the roof have rusted and as a result, the house leaks whenever it rains. The desperate woman said she was forced to tie plastic bags to the beams of the roof to catch the leaking rain water. “One day rain fell and the water went into my television and spoiled it,” Gomes said. “Sometimes when the rain falls really heavily, all of us crowd up on one bed to sleep at night. I am tired of putting plastic bags and buckets out when rain falls. I don’t know where to patch again,” Gomes cried. She said last year, in desperation she went to Mayor of San Fernando Ian Atherly, San Fernando West MP Diane Seukeran, Councillor Jennifer Marryshow, Gopaul’s Hardware and the Welfare Department, seeking assistance. Councillor Marryshow, Gomes said, asked her to make an estimate of items needed for repairs to the house including lengths of plywood, galvanise and other material.

The  material could not be provided, she said, since the National Self Help Commission in San Fernando was  short on supplies. The Living Waters Community, Gomes said, has been helping her with groceries for the family. Gomes added she was told by the Welfare Department that it could not assist in any attempt to build a permanent structure since she was illegally occupying State lands. The 32-year-old mother claimed she had been living at that location since the age of three. “I try not to borrow but the little money I have finishes so quick. I just pray, pray for my  children, pray for food. I am always praying,” Gomes said. In desperation she is now asking anyone who wishes to help her to call her at  658-3623 or 652-0938.

Comments

"Widowed mom of 7 fears house collapse"

More in this section