Father of 23 falls on hard times

Garfield Tulloch, a resident of Tryall Heights in Spanish Town, St Catherine, can easily form two football teams with his own children.

The 50-year-old said he is father to at least 23 children by more than 15 women. His oldest is 30 and his youngest are twin girls who were born in August. But while the majority can take care of themselves, Tulloch is desperately trying to provide for the five youngest, four of whom he has with his spouse.

He showed THE WEEKEND STAR an empty chicken coop, a sign that his chicken-rearing business has crashed. He said, a few months ago, he credited more than 100 pounds of chicken to a customer, but the man passed away.

"Mi did have di next batch leave and, to be honest, mi never have any money to buy feeding for the rest that leave ,suh dem dead and the heat was on them too. Mi is a very proud man but mi really a ask if anyone can help me to restart the business. If is even 200 chickens and some feeding and mi will alright again," he said.

Tulloch said he is unable to gain meaningful employment as his right hand was chopped off in 2005. Looking down on his cellular phone, he said he is now reluctantly dodging calls from some of his children's mothers.

"It's because mi nuh have it. Right now, mi know mi youth dem want feeding and Pampers but mi can't afford it. Sometimes mi will get a little work and mi get a $5,000, but yuh done know say that is not for me," he said.

Tulloch admitted that he was not always on the straight and narrow, and he tries to show his children love so they don't make similar mistakes.

"Mi is a trade man suh mi usually do painting and construction work and mi live all over because, yuh done know, when you in badness you can't stay. But I came here to live and I lose my hand," he said, noting that he had five children after that.

"The rest a mi children dem all over the place because of the life weh mi did a live. Mi use to go in the community and mi like di pretty girls dem and mi did think say di only way to keep dem is to get dem pregnant," he said. Tulloch said that he has more than 30 siblings, however they are not close.

"Mi nuh want my children dem stay suh and that is why mi try to bring dem around each other suh dem can have love fi each other. Mi just wah get back on mi foot and mi will be able to take care of mi children," he said.

Tulloch's spouse told THE WEEKEND STAR that he is a loving individual who would move mountains for his family.

"The twins that we have is just a month old and the other two children are 12 and 15 years old. Him is a very good father and him well hard-working and him nuh make we hungry. Once him have it, dem nah stop from school. I know he has a lot of children, him was very bad. Him say him finish now and we in we church, suh him say him wah we get married on his birthday next year," she said.

Persons wishing to assist Garfield Tulloch may contact him at 876 801 1575.