During a visit to Nassau in August of '97, Sam "Marathon Man" Williams, President of the Bahamas Loving Care Association, brought to my attention the tremendous sacrifice and contribution of the late Br. Victor "Easy" King who in March of l997 gave his life by going into a burning home not just once, but twice, to save ALL of the four children trapped inside. He passed away two weeks later at the Princess Margaret Hospital where he had worked as a security guard and orderly.
Because of Brother Easy's magnificent courage and love, these four little Bahamian children have survived for a future in the 21st century. Truly this unsung hero has to be one of the island's greatest patriots. May he continue to enjoy the love of God, his ancestors, and the spiritual masters in the heavenly realm and may Sam Williams, his mother and family, and other Bahamian citizens be successful in seeing his name honored in his homeland. This section of the Junkanoo Soulsite is dedicated in honor of Brother Victor "Easy" King, his mother, Mrs. Mornette King, and to the other loved ones he left behind
As part of a global studies and writing lesson, I taught my high school students about the contributions of Br. King in Sept. '97. (It is important to celebrate those illustrious ones known throughout the world, but those humble heroes and sheroes who may be known only in their own communities, but whose lives are a shining inspiration because of their undaunted courage and selfless love.) Allow me to share an excerpt or two that my students wrote to Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham on behalf of the lifting up of the name and memory of Mr. Victory P. King.
*************************
Dear Prime Minister Ingraham:
I am writing in regard to Mr. King. Our class read the newspaper article about this man sacrificing his live to save four children. I think this man was very brave.
I am concerned about how people are going to remember their hero. Since he saved these children and risked his life, he did what many others would not have done...
I am hoping you will find it in your heart to name either a school or an area of the Princess Margaret Hospital where Mr. King was working after him.
Sincerely,
J. F.
****************************
Dear Prime Minister Ingraham:
I read about Victor King, a hero, there in the Bahamas. I think he is one of the people who should be honored with something very special like a street, school, or hospital wing named after him. To give his life to save four children was a very great deed,
I hope that someday when I visit the Bahamas, I will see a memorial to this great hero, Victor King.
Yours truly,
C. W.
*************************
Dear Prime Minister Ingraham
In class today we were discussing the tragedy that occurred in the Bahamas as a result of Mr. King saving four kids from a burning house. He risked his life in saving those four kids. That was a very brave thing to do and deserves some kind of recognition. We students of New York City feel he should be recognized for his heroism... Please don't let his great heroism go unrecognized.
Sincerely,
G. C.
******************************** And a couple of the letters that were directed to Sam Williams for his efforts on behalf of Br. King's memorial:
Dear Mr. Williams:
I would like to congratulate you for supporting the people who really need your help, including the children. I encourage you to keep up the good work and to keep the Bahamas Loving Care Association alive, especially in its work to honor the brave hero. Victor King.
Sincerely yours,
S. R.
***********************
Dear Mr. Williams:
I would like to thank you for your contribution to your community in the Bahamas and for trying to get scholarships for the youth. Most of all, I thank you for keeping Victor King's name alive... His name should be kept in people's memories forever. It would be a shame for him to have given his life in this great way and not be remembered in his country. I hope that he will always be remembered and loved there.
Yours truly,
A. B.
In honor of the Bahamian hero,
Victor Philip ("Easy") King
Go Easy into the Light, Brother Easy.
Go easy and proudly into
that radiant Light;
receive a multitude
of celestial rewards
for a job so very well done;
the mission has been completed
on earth for which you had come.
a Bahamian hero -
the greatest of beauty, courage,
and love in your great soul:
because of your tremendous sacrifice,
you can walk Easy, proudly into God's Light;
four young children now live
because you didn't hesitate your own life to give.
without thought for self
you went into the fire
in answer to the children's
and their mother's fearful cries;
because of you, Brother Easy,
these babies can still feel
the softness of the morning rain,
the warmth
of the evening sun,
you truly accomplished the mission
for which you had come:
to shine forth the greatest of beauty,
love, and courage of soul
and in so doing to become a truly great
Bahamian hero.
Go Easy and proudly into that Light,
Brother Easy.
Go Easy, so easy,
into that beautiful Light.
---Linda Cousins, Sept. 19, 1997.
copyright (c) l. cousins l997
During my many visits to The Bahamas, my husband and I have had the delight of frequently being transported to the airport by Mr. Sidney Darling, a wonderful gentle-man and one of the Bahamas' great culturalists. Rare is the time that one want see a most pleasant and peaceful smile gracing the demeanor of this magnificent soul.
We learned, to our surprise, during our chats with Mr. Darling that he is a former performer with the famed Ronnie Butler and the Ramblers band and a former Bahamian migrant worker during the historic Contract Period in the States. However, it was even more soul-touching to learn that Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Darling are the parents of The Bahamas first casualty of the Iraqi War, PFC Norman Darling, who is noted to have exhibited the same type of warm, loving spirit as his parents and the same dedicated parental role as a young father.
A member of the 4th Batallion, 27th Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Armored Division of the U. S. Army, this fine youth joined his ancestors on April 29, 2004, as the result of a suicide attack against his squadron. He, as well as his slain colleagues, are remembered with love and the deepest of honor by his family, friends, and society in general. The boundaries of Heaven and Earth cannot separate such a connection of Spirit, for a smile crosses the Darlings' souls as they behold his face ever gracing their home and the image of his warm smile ever gracing the eye of their hearts.
In closing, as I was listening to some clips of Bahamian music one day here on the Internet, I ran across a music sample of a very nice song called "Paper Doll". Who was the artist?--none other than this precious gentle-man, Brother Sidney Darling! It's got to be him--how many Sidney Darling artists could there be in Nassau? I knew he played the guitar and traveled extensively with the Ronnie Butler Band but never dreamed he had recorded a solo piece himself. Can't wait to tell him I heard it when I get back to Nassau. I know his children are quite proud of their father, including the young and beloved Bahamian-American patriot in the Heavens, Norman Darling. May he experience divine peace as he enjoys the beauties of that well-deserved realm.