Man who got controversial surgery dies

Kenneth Myrie, whose story gained national attention after undergoing a controversial surgery during his time in prison, has passed away.

According to his common-law wife Karine Brown, he died on Tuesday because of complications from kidney failure and B12 deficiency. She attributes his ailments to medical negligence, allegedly linked to a surgery performed at the Kingston Public Hospital (KPH) in 2004. Myrie had publicly condemned the surgery in which a significant portion of his small intestines was removed without his consent. In a letter addressed to the media, Myrie detailed the ordeal, stressing the lasting impact on his health. His efforts to seek redress through legal channels faced numerous hurdles, including a long wait to find his missing medical file.

In an emotional interview with THE WEEKEND STAR, Brown recounted the recent events leading to Myrie's death. She described how he had been increasingly weakened by the surgery's aftermath, necessitating frequent hospital visits since he was pardoned by the governor general in 2011 on medical grounds.

"This time, he got very, very sick, very weak. So we carried him back to the Kingston Public Hospital. He got admitted Friday and he died [Tuesday]. They were treating him but he didn't make it," he said.

Myrie was released from the St Catherine Adult Correctional Centre after serving 15 years for murder, a crime for which he maintained his innocence. In a 2015 Gleaner story, he said that he developed a stomach infection while incarcerated. He was first sent to the Spanish Hospital but later transferred to KPH. After his surgery, he returned to prison but alleged that he missed follow-up appointments because of prison transport issues. After his release, he said he returned to KPH in 2012, but was told that his file could not be found. He said that he was scheduled to do two surgeries, including one for haemorrhoids. But, he said, the surgeries were repeatedly delayed. In 2016, Myrie finally received his file after a worker, who allegedly found the file in a bin at the hospital, handed it over to Myrie and his spouse.

Brown believes that, if Myrie's hospital file had been found sooner, he would have gotten proper treatment earlier. She expressed deep sorrow over the loss, particularly for their 10-year-old son, whom Myrie adored.

"I was there, right when visiting time. Right before him take him last breath, him tell mi to take care of Joshua, him love him Joshua. Right in front of me, Myrie dead. Him barely open him eye and look pon mi, because him did start swell. When the kidney gets bad, the body starts swelling, so his face started to swell," she said.

Brown told THE WEEKEND STAR that Myrie was robbed of half of his life.

"When he lived abroad before, he lived a good life. But that changed the moment he came to Jamaica and they put him in prison wrongfully and then mess him up with the surgery. They might think because he is dead it's done, but I'm not giving up. I'm not giving up, because his case reach mediation," she said.

With the case now awaiting a date for a case management conference, she remains determined to see it through. Reflecting on their life together, she painted a portrait of Myrie as a compassionate man who was devoted to his family and advocacy for justice, a fight she will carry on.

"Poor people always have to suffer when challenging the government. I will not rest," she said.