I can't leave my wife - Clarendon man has been caring for bedridden spouse for 28 years

When Georgia and Erol Smith started a relationship about 40 years ago, they thought they would live happily ever after.

However, 28 years ago, Georgia got pregnant, but she lost the baby after she went into labour prematurely. Even when depression set in, but the love that she and Erol shared brought them back up.

Erol said that life was going well at their home in Hayes, Clarendon, until some months later when she got sick.

“We were living inna the house across the street those times, and after the landlord asked her for some p...y and she refused, him tell wi fi come out. The morning after, she open the door and step out. As she step on the mat so, she drop. Dem come remove the thing that was under the mat, but from then she got sick. Over the years, she fall dung and fall dung, until she reach right yah so - no talking, nothing at all,” he said.

When times were good

As the years went by, Georgia’s sickness got worse, and Erol had to take care of his wife and their two children. He said that it was not easy, but he was willing to do anything for her, because when times were good, she made sure they were taken care of.

“Is when she sick mi married her, enuh. Mi coudn’t leave her because she a the love of my life, and she did so much for me. This woman used to buy mi clothes when she travelled, enuh. Mi a change seven day fi the week – different shoes, different shirt, different pants, everything a she,” he said.

Among the persons who often commend Erol, is his friend, Eleithea Senior. She told THE STAR that persons in the community often tell her that Erol is a very good man. She said that she loves the way he takes care of his wife and treats her with the utmost respect.

“If wi give him some food round a yaad, him nah eat it around there. Him a carry it come round and share it with her. Him nah eat and she nuh get none. Look how the place clean. Him a ensure that she get well taken care of. Him love him wife bad man,” she said.

Taking care of Georgia did come with challenges, as there were days when Erol was depressed and felt like giving up. But he said that when he remembered how pure her heart was, he could not leave her, nor could he put her in a nursing home.

“It better when she deh home with me and mi know she all right. When mi push the door and mi see her, mi can kiss her up and thing. If she inna a [nursing] home and mi go cook now, mi caan go eat because mi a go wonder if she a eat too. Mi know fi sure seh when she deh here, once mi a eat she a eat, she a bathe on time and she a change when she mess up herself,” he said.

Best care possible

Financially it has also been rough on Erol, but he said that he continues to do what needs to be done to ensure that his wife gets the best care possible. He further explained that getting the doctor to visit his wife has been expensive, but he is grateful for his children and others who have helped over the years.

But no matter what happens, Erol said that the love he has for his wife is one that can never be broken. He said that there is no better feeling than knowing that he is doing all that he can, not for recognition, but for the love that they both share.

“One a the time it coming like mi numb. When people used to come and look for her, mi caan stay inna the house. Mi deh round a back a bawl. A pick mi a pick up yah now because mi did a fret because it hurt mi to see how she just cut dung so,” he said.

“Mi nah leave har side no matter what people seh. A my wife, and mi a go deh yah till the end,” he said.