Mom wants help for son who lost eye at school

A Westmoreland woman, whose son lost one of his eyes while at school in Westmoreland two years ago, says she is tired of the run around she has been getting from the authorities.

Kemola Heavens told the WESTERN STAR that in 2017, her 10-year-old son, Odain Martin, left for school like any other day. However, while she was at home a short distance away, she learnt that her son had been taken to the hospital. She said that she eventually learnt that another child poked her son in the eye with a piece of wood.

"When mi go over the school and check it out, and then to the doctor, mi burst inna tears when mi see mi pickney a roll inna pain," Heavens said.

"From that day until now, only $20,000 mi get from the school, and that's it. Mi go a Region Four at the ministry office, and dem give mi a number fi the Kingston people dem. One man from Kingston did a correspond wid mi, but each time mi son eye get worse, a the less him call mi. Odain right eye now totally blind, and it cost mi thousands a dollars fi him do some operation, just fi mek the pain stop. The right operation mi couldn't do because mi neva have the money, so him lose the eye."

Heavens said that her son now needs glasses to support the other eye, and she is unable to afford that.

"Mi go back over the school the other day and ask dem if dem can't put on a little something fi help mi fi get some money, and the people them seh dem can't help mi," the angry mother said.

"Mi son lef mi yard wid him good good eye dem and go a school, and only fi come back home wid one. The people dem a treat mi like a mi do somebody something."