DJ loses both parents on the same day

Losing one parent is a blow, but losing both parents on the same day is surreal. This is how veteran deejay Powerman described the situation he is now faced with, having to come to terms with the death of both his father and mother, Brenton and Loris Davey, within hours of each other, last Tuesday.

The deejay, whose given name is Michael Davey, told THE STAR that his parents lived together in Red Hills, St Andrew. He said that his father, 76, who had suffered a stroke less than a year ago, also had diabetes and high blood pressure. His mother, despite having low blood pressure was strong.

"My mother was strong. Any little thing that I needed done in Jamaica, she was the one who I would send the money to and she would pick it up and deal with it," Powerman said.

He said that he spoke to his 78-year-old mother two Fridays ago, at which time she told him that she had collected some funds he had sent to her and outlined what she had done with it. Last Tuesday, he called again, because nobody had been able to get through to her. When she finally picked up the phone, it was obvious that she wasn't well.

"After I spoke to her, I called around and finally got some persons to go to the house. When they got there, they realized that my father was still in bed but he wasn't responding. He had passed away in his sleep. My mother was with him and she was being strong and coherent. She could tell them her name and date of birth and everything," Powerman said.

The relatives at the house made arrangements for his father's body to be removed. Powerman believes that the reality of losing her husband of 60 years was just too much for his mother.

"When the hearse and everything come and she see him wrapped up in the white sheet, she just couldn't handle it," he said.

TAKEN TO HOSPITAL

Relatives, realising that his mother was buckling under the pressure, subsequently took her to the hospital. However, by the time they reached, she too had passed.

"They said by the time they were taking her out of the vehicle they felt a dead weight, and that was it. Bwoy, me never know that me would wake up to a news like this," he said, sounding tearful.

"It's a hard pill to swallow and accept. I am still in denial," said Powerman, who plans to return to the island in coming weeks for the funeral of his parents.

"I know that as soon as I reach back on the island, I am gonna lose it," he said.

Powerman's parent got married when his mother was 18 and his father was 16.

"It's just two of us, me and my brother (Noel). After they had him, they waited 15 years before having me, and with both of us overseas, it's has been just the two of them living together, going to their church, Holy Cross, in Half-Way Tree, and enjoying life," he told THE STAR.

"It was hard for mama to lose papa. I know her, she could not manage that," he said.

Loris Davey was born on March 6, 1940 in Trench Town. St Andrew. Her maiden name is Garvey, and Powerman said she always told me that she was related to Marcus Garvey. His father was born in Portland in 1942 and he later moved to Kingston where he started his life with Loris.

Powerman came to prominence in the 90's and enjoyed a wave of popularity with singles, including Stone, Slim and Trim, Miss Kill and Bury, Gal A Call and many more.