A second chance at life: The miraculous recovery of a Journalist after deadly smash-up

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.

The accident took the lives of five passengers, including the minibus driver, Vernon Prowell. The other passengers who lost their lives were Margaret Kennedy, Olga Reddy, Elvis Charles and seventy-one-year-old Tella Parhoo.
Several passengers in the minibus were seriously injured, including Alleyne. In addition to him, other passengers were admitted to the hospital with life-threatening injuries.
They are 46-year-old Samuel Ramda of Tuschen, EBE; Selmont Brisport, 64, of Tuschen, EBE; Samuel Ramdas of Ruby Backdam, EBE; Junior Jack, 25, of Tuschen, EBE.
The impact of the crash also caused a Guyana Power and Light pole to break and fall into a house in the area. Fortunately, no one was injured in the home.
Following the accident, the 38-year-old truck driver, Ewart Stewart of Stewartville, West Coast Demerara, was slapped with several charges for causing death by dangerous driving. He was remanded to prison.
Weeks after the accident, Alleyne is still on the road to recovery. He admits that the journey has been tough, but he’s grateful for the support he’s received from his family, friends, and the community.
“I never thought I would be the subject of a news story, but here I am,” he related. “Life is unpredictable, and we never know what’s going to happen. But I’m grateful for every moment, and I’m determined to come back stronger than ever.”