One-legged woman robbed - Thief took cash intended to buy prosthetic limb

Three months ago, 77-year-old Gloria Llewelyn had managed to save up almost enough money to purchase a much-needed prosthetic leg for herself.

However, that dream seems extremely far fetched now, as weeks ago, Llewelyn was robbed of the $300,000 she had saved for more than 10 years.

Bursting into tears, the Seaview Gardens resident told THE STAR that she needed just about $30,000 more to make the purchase, adding that she has fallen into a state of depression since the theft.

“Sometimes mi don’t even like talk about it. It mash mi up bad because is the money I save up when I used to work at Nutrition Products Limited and the little pension that mi a collect. Him (the thief) just come in and take my money away. Mi did have two children but both a dem dead,” she said between tears.

In order to get around her home, Llewelyn, who lost her leg to diabetes almost five years ago, has to crawl on her knee, a practice that her neighbours think is not only tiring but extremely dangerous.

CON MAN

A neighbour stated that when Llewelyn was robbed, she was being a kind host to a man who had told her that he was feeling ‘bad’ and needed a cup of tea in order to distract her.

“A relative of hers had asked him to fix her television set and he came by the house and was looking at it. He then told her that he wanted a cup of tea and she crawled into the kitchen to prepare it and it was during that time that he got the chance to search her place and found the money,” she said.

She added: “He is cruel ... he drank the tea and even told her it would cost her $1,000 to fix the TV and she gave it to him and he left. She take it really hard and a lot of times she would just sit on her verandah and cry because that was her hard worked money,” she added.

Llewelyn said she has been struggling since the incident and is seeking the public’s assistance in getting a prosthetic leg as well as other necessities such as food items.

Her neighbours say they help when they can, but would like assistance from the wider Jamaica.

“We gather up some cash the other day and got her a fan and other little stuff. Miss Gloria isn’t a lazy woman. I remember when she was on her feet, she used to wake as early as 5 a.m. and sweep the entire lane. We would really want to see her get the help to get her leg,” one of her neighbours said.

Persons wishing to assist the elderly woman may contact Angel, another neighbour at 876-897-4202 or 876-314-2544.