Devil was in the sea

In 2010, Troy Hewitt was seen as a young man full of passion for life and a dedicated fisherman, driven to succeed at his daily task.

Barely 20 years-old, Hewitt became a father and was plotting his new-found family's future, which was dependent on his fishing as the main source of income, but as life would have it, the Devil was in the sea.

Hewitt was among a group of fisherfolk, who left the shores of the Whitehouse Fishing Village in Westmoreland early one morning, at approximately 7 o'clock, according to some, for the nearby Pedro Cays.

It was supposed to be a routine day on the seas for the group of fishermen, whose family and friends were expecting a great catch and return later that evening. But they never made it back home.

Reports surfaced that the boat they were in developed mechanical trouble and capsized, drowning all men on board. The young, promising life that was Troy Hewitt was now gone forever.

"That was a tragedy that the entire family and the fishing village up to now cannot understand," said Burnett Gordon, Hewitt's cousin.

"Troy was a decent youth who was working hard for his young family. He was a calm man, very mannerable, and we all miss him, even now," Gordon added.

LIFE AND DEATH SITUATION

Gordon, himself a fisherman, told THE WEEKEND STAR that it is literally a matter of life and death every single day in the life of a fisherman, but that it is also a necessary risk they are willing to take.

He said Troy knew the risk involved on the seas but believed in providing for his family.

"That was a very difficult moment for his girlfriend and young son. They lost their breadwinner and her lover, and life stopped for a time as they tried to come to grips with losing him," stated Gordon.

"Even now, people here just always remember the youth. A good fisherman just gone, never to be seen again, and yet we are spoken down to by authorities as though we are nobodies," reasoned Gordon.

He said the life of Troy and the many others lost at sea must be remembered and celebrated.