‘He was a friend to everybody’ - Benjamin Bair remembered as energetic, hard-working student

Je'Taime Duncan had tears streaming down her face as she clung to the arms of her mother. Duncan was one of the children who had to run to safety after an unmanned garbage truck tragically crushed Benjamin Bair at the Clan Carthy Primary school on Monday.

The eight-year-old recounted the catastrophic moment when she saw the truck barrelling towards them as they played.

"We were here playing and I had to run out the way. Some of the other children had to jump over the fence," she said while showing us the broken concrete area where the garbage truck claimed the life of young Benjamin.

Her mother, Novette McLeod, said she sat stunned as she listened to her daughter recount the happenings of the day.

"Mi daughter come home and tell me what happened. After that me phone just start ring because people know that she go the school, so they wanted to know what happened. She and Benjamin are good friends. Dem always out here in the evenings a play while him wait fi him parents to come for him," she told THE STAR.

Tenesha Bailey, a relative of young Benjamin, had to be taken to the hospital after her blood pressure level fell below normal.

"Oh God, Jesus Christ, oh God, have mercy Jesus, have mercy Jesus. It heavy Lord. It heavy, you now best Jesus, you know best," she cried.

"A you alone see and know enuh, Jesus. It hot, oh God it hot. Mighty Jesus, you couldn't stop the truck? You couldn't stop the truck Jesus?" she cried as persons rushed to offer her assistance.

Benjamin's teacher, Natasha Forrest-Spence, described him as an inclusive child who was a friend to everyone in his class.

Always willing

"Most of the students in the class consider him a friend because no matter how difficult a child is, he does not see that. He's always willing to play with everybody. He is inclusive so everybody is his friend. He is fun loving, energetic, and full of life. He was a hard-working student and believe me, if he doesn't get it the first time, he is not going to stop until he is finished," she said.

Principal for the school, Sheldon Richards, said that he is encouraged by the support that the school has got.

"Almost every class has a guidance counsellor so we are very pleased about that. We are trying to get back to normalcy as soon as possible. The counselling will continue but we also want the children to get back to the regular routine," he said.

The Corporate Communications Unit said the driver of the garbage truck is yet to turn himself in.