Across Guyana, mothers are feeling the full exuberance of the season, as scores of children take time to honour them — whether by planning outings or enjoying the many auspicious Mother’s Day celebrations.
Mayhelm Gonzales and her family
However, for Mayhelm Gonzales, this time is painted by sorrow and reflection, as she is experiencing the day without her beloved baby daughter following a tragic experience at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC) roughly four months ago.
Gonzales, a Venezuelan national who migrated to Guyana several years ago, expressed some months ago to this news publication that she experienced negligence and mistreatment — including emotional and verbal abuse — at the hands of hospital staff.
She said a series of unfortunate events led to the death of her daughter, leaving an indelible mark on her life.
Gonzales, who operates a small business at City Mall, shared how this auspicious day of Mother’s Day is going for her.
“It’s been horrible, every day since January 18th, I cry for her. I see mothers with their daughters, and it hurts so much. I never show it on the street or at work, but at home, next to my husband, there’s not a day we don’t cry for her. There’s not a day I don’t regret having set foot in that hospital. But I know there are mothers who have lost their children in even worse ways.”
She added that there are many ways a child can be lost, and many parents never even get the chance to say goodbye. But for that, she is grateful.
“At least I was able to say goodbye to my baby. And above all, I feel that she made a difference in this country — by making me a voice for all the mothers who have lost a baby in that hospital. It’s not just justice for me, but for all of them. That gives me strength to move forward and learn to live with the loss of my daughter.”
Despite the heartache, the fire of motherhood still burns deeply in Gonzales. She says she is still hopeful about building a family.
Mayhelm Gonzales and her husband
“I’ve always dreamed of a big family — three or four children. But again, I had to live through an even greater pain, which was losing my baby. That pain was even stronger than the first because she was my hope to continue growing this family. But now she’s gone. Still, that hasn’t stopped me from trying again. Once I’m physically, mentally, and emotionally stable, I will try again.”
When asked what motherhood means to her, she shared with heartfelt conviction:
“I love being a mother. My first child is now five years old. Becoming a mother was the most wonderful adventure and decision I’ve ever made. There are many women born to do great things, and one of the things I was born to do was to be a mom. Despite all the challenges I’ve faced — including accepting my son’s autism diagnosis when he was just two — I’ve kept going. It was hard, and it still hurts, not knowing whether he’ll grow to be independent or not. But he motivates me every day. Every decision I make, I make with his well-being in mind.”
To other mothers who may have experienced loss, she shared a message of hope in which they should hold on deeply to God.
“Hold on to all the love that God can give you. God Himself lost His only Son. We as parents must fill ourselves with His love in order to continue. We’ll never forget our deceased children, but I assure you — every day you wake up, cling to those good memories, cling to God, and live as your children would have wanted you to live. Whether they were nine months in the womb, 11 years old, or 25 — they would want us to go on.”
It must be understood however that this day will be acknowledged with mourning but amidst this she will spend her time basking in the love of her family.
“I’ll be at home with my mom, my husband, and my son. I don’t plan on going out — my heart is still in mourning. I know my husband will give me a gift, and we’ll also give something to my mom, who’s the super grandmother. He’ll likely send a gift to his mom in Spain as well. I’m still lucky to have mine…so yes, this is my first Mother’s Day with a deceased daughter. But I know I still have other things to live for. I’ll spend the day talking to God, meditating, and being with my little family.”
