Blind mother wants to bring home daughter’s body

A grieving mother is now facing an uncertain future as her daughter, who was been her caregiver for the last three years, died unexpectedly overseas.

When Sophia Francis lost her sight three years ago due to diabetes, her daughter, Shanique Watson, who was battling health problems of her own, took on the responsibility of caring for her. Determined to make life better for them both, the 28-year-old travelled to St Kitts and Nevis last year for a job opportunity. But Watson passed away last month, leaving Francis with a mountain to climb.

A tearful Francis told THE STAR that Watson used to work at a call centre locally, but hadn't worked for about three years as she became ill.

"Is about the same time mi lose mi sight and she did a tek care a me. She did a keep on going to the doctor but she did not tell me what do her because she neva want me stress."

Watson, a former student of Kingston Technical High School, was Francis' only child. She said she supported her decision to travel.

"No sickness and even worse death never come cross mi mind, only fi hear say mi daughter dead," she said. Francis recalled anxiously waiting for Watson to return home.

"She did tell me say she a come home [in the first full week of January]. Mi a look fi see she come and she nuh come so me keep on a call her phone and not getting her. That was not like Shanique. I reach out to her sister (on her father's side) and she did not hear from her either," she said. Francis said that because of the connection she shares with her daughter, she knew something was wrong when she awakened on Sunday, January 11.

"Mi a tell somebody say mi nuh like how me feel. Something happen to Shanique. You know when you a pickney and you know you ago get beating and your heart start race? A so me did feel." Her worst fears were confirmed the following morning when Watson's sister visited.

"The first thing me say is 'Shanique dead?' And she say 'Come give me a hug' and we start cry. Mi feel her death before them even tell me," she said. Francis said she later learnt from her daughter's roommate that Watson fell ill while attempting to return to Jamaica. She later died at hospital.

"It's hard. All now mi can't come to reality seh mi one child weh mi have jus gone. Mi can't see, mi blind and Shanique a everything to me. She a mi eye and mi backbone."

She added, "Mi nuh think me can survive this, mi nuh know how me ago live out this. Mi cry every day. Just even fi make her body to come home please, so mi can just touch her fi the last."

A former domestic helper before losing her sight, Francis said she has no savings, and is now appealing to the public for help. A neighbout has since launched a GoFundMe campaign on Francis' behalf to assist in returning Watson's body to Jamaica. The cost is estimated at US$15,000 -- approximately J$2.3 million -- but only US$110 has been raised so far.

Persons willing to assist may contact Sophia Francis at 876-398-0806 or donate via the GoFundMe link: https://realhelpinghands.com/campaign/help-bring-shaniek-home-to-jamaica...