By La’Wanda McAllister
Shemar Alleyne, a journalist, never expected to become the subject of a news story, as he was accustomed to reporting on events, not being the one involved in them.
However, fate had other plans for him when he was involved in a devastating accident that left him and others fighting for their lives.
The accident occurred on March 6 last along Greenwich Park on the East Bank of Essequibo (EBE). Shemar had his heart set on getting an Indian outfit for Holi, and when the store didn’t have his size, he decided to take a bus to another location.
Little did he know that this decision would change his life forever. As he settled into the minibus, Shemar could not help but feel a sense of familiarity with the driver, Vernon Prowell.
“My mother had been travelling with him for years, so I knew him well,” he said. However, the journey up to Parika was anything but familiar. As the bus picked up more passengers, the rain started to fall harder, and the roads became treacherous.
Suddenly, a truck collided with the bus, and Alleyne went blank. When he woke up, he heard people screaming and the smell of gasoline. He knew something terrible had happened. As firefighters rushed to cut open the bus to rescue the passengers, he could feel the excruciating pain in his body.
“I thought to myself, ‘this can’t be happening to me’. But it was real, and it was terrifying,” he said.
The aftermath of the accident was chaotic as some passengers had lost their lives, while others were fighting for survival.
Alleyne was among those rushed to the Leonora Cottage Hospital, where he underwent two surgeries to repair the damage to his body. According to him, it was the worst pain he has ever experienced, but he knew he had to be strong for himself and his loved ones.
