We are heroes, too - Men want credit for helping to save Trench Town boy

Alphonso 'Vivian' Coombs is of the view that if it wasn't for his intervention and the assistance of another 19-year-old man, the heroic tale of Tremayne Brown's rescue of Renaldo Reynolds would have been a totally different story.

However, while he believes that Brown deserves all the praise he is getting for rescuing 12-year-old Reynolds, Coombs said he and others who played a part in the rescue efforts should be getting the same level of recognition.

"Him (Tremayne) play a major part and we love dat cause him coulda dead and we coulda dead to. All Tremayne himself talk say that if we never come, it would be di end of dem," Coombs told THE STAR.

He recounted that he was on his way home last Friday evening when he saw a group of people gathered in the vicinity of the gully along Collie Smith Drive. However, he said he did not give the gathering much attention, as he was intent on reaching home to change his wet clothes. But after putting on a fresh suit of clothes, he noticed that the crowd had swollen.

Coombs said he was wondering what was going on when he was told that Tremayne and Renaldo were being swept away by the water in the gully.

"Me play a major, major part cause everybody give up and a bawl, and mi say: 'No mi nah give up', and mi just start run like mi mad," he said.

He said he ran along the side of the gully, through the cemetery, through bushes close to Marcus Garvey Drive, all the while calling out Renaldo's name. After some time he said he heard a faint response, and saw Tremayne clutching on to a branch, while holding on to the 12-year-old boy.

Pump him belly

"Me chuck off and a try reach to them, and the water just keep on a fling mi weh a distance from dem. So mi try get miself inna one a di hole inna the gully, and hold on pon di hole and try brace up mi self, and mek mi way to the top of di bridge. We ease up the likkle bwoy out of the water, and mi see di big man like him want leggo, so wi grab him up fast out a di water," Coombs told THE STAR.

"We tek Tremayne out a di water, and him a say him weak out and him can't move. And then mi hold the likkle boy cause mi see say him a fight, and bare water pon him chest. And mi start pump him belly, and him start puke out whole heap a water, and start buss some big heavy belch," Coombs continued.

Forgotten since

Another resident, Keith Dillion, confirmed that men from the community scoured the length of the gully in search of the two males who were carried away by the water.

Dillion said he lifted Tremayne on to his back, while another 19-year-old man carried Reynolds, before making their way back to the community where they were celebrated.

"Dem say: 'Unuh fi get something from di Government', and from dat, a just it dat. A just Tremayne name alone," he said.

Although grateful that he helped to save Tremayne and Renaldo, Dillion said the other rescuers have been forgotten since the incident.

"A six kids mi get, and mi coulda dead lef my six kids dem, so if something coulda turn fi mi youth dem, and fi know say dat can gwaan fi uplift dem," he said.

Coombs, who is a vendor, said he would appreciate any opportunity that could be given to him to improve the life of his children and those around him.

"Mi nuh have no work a do more than likkle selling dung a town more while. A just dat me do, but at the end of the day, mi woulda like something fi gwaan fi mi fi keep up my business," he told THE STAR.