Early eulogy for Carlet by friends

Some 20 close friends of Holder gathered at the Ariapita Avenue eatery on Friday night to share stories of their various and most hilarious memories of Holder. The only family members present were Maricel ‘Empress,’ Holder’s adopted sister and one of Holder’s cousins, Mark, who flew from the US with his three children to “enjoy myself” with Holder’s friends.

The gathering on Friday followed the cancellation of Holder’s funeral the day before at the St. Theresa R.C. Church in Woodbrook.

Speaking with Newsday before the reading of the eulogy, one of Holder’s best friends Sule Dyer said he’d felt frustrated since Thursday because “it didn’t have to come to this.” Dyer, who met Holder at an interview he had at Synergy TV ten years ago, said the entire situation made him feel sick.

A close friend of Holder and criminologist Renee Cummings expressed the necessity of eulogising Holder and said she felt “lost” and didn’t get the opportunity to receive “closure” due to the funeral being halted mid-service on Thursday. Cummings said, she, like the rest of Holder’s friends got “no closure” from the unfortunate situation.

Cummings added that when she got news of Holder’s death, everything inside her “got empty.” Throughout the reading of the eulogy, Holder was described as “larger than life, authentic and resilient.” Dyer, who read the eulogy, said he felt “blessed to have loved and been loved by her,” and that Holder taught him “How to value friendships.” Dyer called Holder a “risk taker” and, while reading the eulogy, broke down in tears and had to be consoled by those around him while reading the lines, “We did it all. But most importantly, we did it together.” Amidst all the stories told, it was clear that Holder was a woman of many characters. She was referred to as “teacher,” “goddess,” “the black girl with the blonde wig” and her most famous persona, “Third Eye.” Explaining the meaning behind the name Third Eye, Cummings said, “That third eye gave her a new level of insight. She never judged anyone.

All she saw was the beauty in a person.” Cummings added that the name Third Eye manifested physically as Holder often put a bindi in the centre of her forehead to represent her third eye.

“All she needed was that bindi on and she was ready to go!” Cummings said.

Fashion designer, Claudia Pegus said it was important that Holder’s life and death were celebrated. “Her spirit has gone home,” Pegus said, “I don’t think that we should be sad or cry because I think she is happy wherever she is.” A close friend of Holder, Cassie, who worked with Holder at Nigel R Khan Booksellers said that Holder “pulled the best out of everyone and forced you to be the best you.” In the final moments of farewell, Cummings added that “we need to develop the Carlet Holder Spirit Award to be given to a girl at Bishop Anstey High School who is the kind of girl to her friends That Carlet was to us. It’s not always about academics.” Dyer and Allison, a friend of Holder’s since they both attended Bishop Anstey Junior School, said that plans are afoot to launch a scholarship and mentorship programme in September called the Enhancement Carlet Holder Organisation (E CHO) in New York.

Allison said they also plan on celebrating Holder’s life on her birthday September 16 in her second home of New York.

Holder, who lost her battle to Lupus on July 15, exactly 10 years after the death of her own father, was cremated at Allen’s Funeral Home in Arima on Saturday last.