Ailing granny gives thanks

POVERTY-STRICKEN Monica Felix yesterday praised Newsday for highlighting her plight and making her Christmas wish — that her six grandchildren would have hot food daily for Christmas — come true. In an exclusive report two weeks ago, Felix, who suffers from liver disease for which she is in urgent need of surgery, said she and her grandchildren survived daily on roasted breadfruit. “Oh God, tell everyone,  all those good Samaritans they have my eternal gratitude,” Felix gushed.

Felix even received a surprise visit from members of the Voluntary Arm of the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force who carried out much needed repairs to her dilapidated, humble home. Dressed in army camouflage kit, the soldiers were not armed with the usual machine-guns, but with hammers and saws instead, as they fitted proper doors and windows to the house and also replaced the rotting boards. The scenes were too much for Felix who, overwhelmed with emotion, cried as she hugged some of the soldiers. The soldiers and building material arrived in two trucks and curious villagers stood nearby as the soldiers went into action. Before help and foodstuff came  following the Newsday story, Felix fed her grandchildren, who are aged between 18 months and 12 years, meals consisting primarily of breadfruit, which she picked from a tree in the yard.

With a beaming smile on her face, Felix said she was elated by the surprising turn of events. “I was not expecting anything like this at all. I want to thank Newsday. If it wasn’t for you all, we would have still been starving,” Felix said. “From the time the article publish, we start receiving things. It was slow at first, but gradually things started to fall into place,” a grateful Felix added. Hugging her four-year-old grandson Zion, Felix said the soldiers also promised to take her grandchildren to their (Defence Force) annual Children’s Christmas Party.

“It is so heartwarming to see that there are still good people in this country. “I would also wish that other persons who are in my situation, or are worse off, can also get some help especially if there are children involved,” Felix said. She said she wanted to thank other persons who sent her a fridge, stove and beds. “I cannot thank you all enough. Thank you so much,” Felix stated.