Parents mourn death of first born - Teen killed in motor vehicle crash

The past few days have been nothing short of devastating for the relatives of 18-year-old Porus High student Brandon Sturridge.

This after he died in a motor vehicle accident which occurred along a section of the Winston Jones Highway in Manchester on Monday afternoon.

Brandon's father, Ballinton Sturridge, 39, told THE WEEKEND STAR that he has yet to come to terms with the passing of his first child.

"When Brandon was born I was excited because it was my first child. He gave me the chance to be a father and I had a good relationship with my son. There was nothing in this world I wouldn't have done or him," he said. "After the accident, I went to the hospital but I couldn't go inside to look at him because I was shocked. Every limb was weak. I even had to get medical attention. Right now I don't know when I'm going to get over this." He said that Brandon's grandmother is also taking it very hard.

"Is she basically help me grow him. Every summer him go foreign to see her and this is the only summer he didn't leave because of COVID," he said.

Driver lost control

Reports are that Brandon, who is from Comfort district in the parish, was travelling in a Nissan motor car with three other persons when the driver lost control of the vehicle which collided with a motor truck. The injured were rushed to the hospital where Brandon was pronounced dead and the others admitted.

As he reminisced on the gem that his son was, Sturridge's voice quavered in pain.

"Brandon was humble and well disciplined. You don't have to tell him twice to do something. Once you say 'Brandon', him move," he said. "Very respectful to those set above him. Even yesterday the principal called and said he was well behaved at school. They recalled a time when he came with his hair too high and he got it trimmed immediately."

Brandon's mother, Marlene Scott, says it is an extremely challenging time for her.

"It very hard because a my first child and a good-behaving child. He was always there for me, and when me tell you say him loving, everybody love Brandon," Scott said.

She said that before she got confirmation of Brandon's mishap, she knew he was in danger based on a gut feeling.

"When I get the call, my sister didn't tell me anything but I knew something was wrong because I could feel it. So I said what is wrong with Brandon before she even tell me. But me a tell you say me heart leap," said the distraught mother. "Me have to just a balance up and cry when the pressure come on because me have high blood pressure."

Brandon was awaiting his CSEC results to embark on his journey of becoming a mechanical engineer.