MY CONDOLENCES HIS FAMILY DAILY EXPRESS APRIL 02, 2K 14 He died a hero Father drowns at Maracas saving son, girlfriend By Susan Mohammed susan.mohammed@trinidadexpress Story Created: Apr 1, 2014 at 9:07 PM ECT Story Updated: Apr 2, 2014 at 10:14 AM ECT WHEN Richard Seucharan drowned while trying to rescue a child from the surf in Mayaro last month, Claxton Bay father Phillip Babwah said he too would surrender his life for another. In a cruel twist of fate, Babwah encountered an almost identical situation at Maracas on Monday and chose to save lives and give his own. Babwah, 49, of Union Road, Claxton Bay, drowned after saving the lives of his son, Ronnie Babwah, and his son’s girlfriend, Wendy Jairam. Babwah’s wife, Niranganie Babwah, said she remembered her husband had said Seucharan had made the best decision. “He (Babwah) thought God knows best and it is greater to save two lives instead of one. But I don’t think he thought it would have ended this way,” she said yesterday. Seucharan, 26, an electrician, died on Carnival Monday at a beach at New Lands, Guayaguayare Main Road, Mayaro, while attempting to rescue a 12-year-old boy who was being pulled into the sea by rip currents. Seucharan went along with others into the water although his family begged him not to because he could not swim. The boy was saved by another person, and Seucharan was taken away by the current and drowned. Babwah’s wife, Niranganie, told the Express she and her husband had not visited the beach in about four years, but on Monday their son, Ronnie, asked that his parents accompany him, his girlfriend and his brother, Rennie, 20. “He told us to come with them for the drive and we were not going to stay long because he had to go to work that evening,” she said. “We were in the water for about an hour in waist-high water. I thought it was getting rough and I said let us come out of the water. “I turned around and saw Ronnie and Wendy far away from us and I asked Phillip to call them. “He turned and went and I came out of the water.” Babwah waded further into the sea to call the couple, but was taken out to sea and got into difficulty. Jairam said she did not see Babwah coming toward them, because she and Ronnie were hit by a huge wave and were swept into deeper water. “I remember Ronnie said, ‘Don’t panic,’ because the wave had started to drag me out. Ronnie tried to grab me, but the wave tumbled him. “Some other people came and helped us to shore. When we turned around, then we realised that Babwah was drowning. Everything happened in a split second,” said Jairam. “He came to save us, but he never reached us. It was a big sacrifice he made for us,” she said. Babwah was brought to shore by other bathers and two doctors visiting the beach assisted his wife in giving him CPR (cardio-pulmonary resuscitation). The doctors told her Babwah had a faint pulse. An ambulance took him to hospital, but he was pronounced dead on arrival. An autopsy was expected to be performed yesterday. Niranganie Babwah said of her husband: “He was a very loving man to me, his children, his brothers and sisters, and to everyone who met him. We would do everything together—go to the market, the grocery and temple. He did not drink or smoke and loved his family. I will miss his company.” Babwah worked for more than 30 years at United Engineering Services Ltd. Funeral arrangements were tentatively set for tomorrow.
Posted on: Wed, 02 Apr 2014 15:13:53 +0000
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