Woman loses twin sister weeks before 50th birthday

Carolee and Karlene Dwyer had never had a birthday party together and this Sunday, October 8, the twins were planning a grand event in Portmore, St Catherine, to celebrate their 50th year around the sun.

Like most twins, the two shared a tight bond and even shared a home in St John's Road, Spanish Town, St Catherine. But there will only be tears on Sunday as Carolee was killed in a motor vehicle accident on August 27, in Harris County, Texas. Karlene said that although it may sound cliche, half of her life has been snatched away.

"My right side isn't working properly any more. It's like I am having phantom pain or feel half dead. My right side is very weak and I feel unbalanced. I am not coping good and this Sunday I will not be doing any form of celebration for our birthday. This is just too painful, I am not doing anything. We were planning a party but now we are planning a funeral. My elder sister says my twin's body will be in Jamaica for next week. It is really hard for every one of us," Karlene said.

She said Carolee left the island in July to visit their elder sibling in Florida. However, on August 26, she left for Texas to visit a friend. A day later, tragedy struck. According to the Harris County Sheriff, Ed Gonzalez, the driver of a Ford Explorer was speeding when he left the roadway and hit Carolee who was walking along the sidewalk. The car then hit a house, pinning the woman. She was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the vehicle, 33-year-old Joshua Ivie, reportedly fled the scene but was later picked up by the police a mile away. He was armed with a pistol.

According to Karlene, just hours before Carolee died, she began feeling ill.

"I was having shortness of breath, something that I never had before. I couldn't breathe properly and I couldn't sit up for long. I felt tormented and I was okay before. The Sunday night, I went to sleep in my sister's room, something that I wouldn't normally do," she said.

She said the following day, her world came crashing down when she received news of Carolee's death.

"A relative called me but she was hesitant and I asked her if it was someone from the country that had died and she said no. She told me it was one of my sisters and I asked her which one and she said my twin. Mighty God, my blood pressure went up same time," she said.

The twins, who were affectionately called 'Little and Biggie', were featured in The Gleaner in 2003. Karlene said they were both excited to celebrate half of a century. She described her sister as being family oriented and a lover of children.

"It would be our first birthday party together as when we turned adults, we had our own families and lived apart. But then we lived together in Spanish Town and we were just excited. It was supposed to be an all-white event. We were going all out and she was very happy and excited. She was a very kind and loving person and she loved children," she said.