Adieu Dorothy, Wahida and Hakeem |18 December 2023
By Patrick Joubert
Families, friends and acquaintances congregated at the St Paul’s Cathedral on Saturday morning to pay their last respect, and celebrate the lives of three family members – Dorothy Lafortune, Wahida Payet and Hakeem Antoine – who recently passed away in tragic circumstances.
Dorothy, 64, and her twelve-year-old grandson Hakeem, a student from the Beau Vallon secondary school, lost their lives on December 6 when their house in Le Niole was completely destroyed by a landslide caused by heavy rain. Her daughter Maritza and her child Hailey, managed to escape.
Upon learning of their deaths, Dorothy’s sister, Wahida, 58, went into a state of severe shock on December 7, which led to her death.
The tragedy shocked the whole nation and a lot of people turned up at St Paul’s Cathedral to bid them farewell. The funeral service was presided by Reverend Wavel Ramkalawan assisted by Bishop James Wong and Reverend Brian Volcère from the Anglican Church and Father Eric Leon from the Catholic Church. Other members of the Roman Catholic priesthood and other faith denominations were also present.
In his sermon, Reverend Ramkalawan who traced the lives of Dorothy, Wahida and Hakeem thanked all those who have sympathised, prayed and supported the family members in their moment of grief and pain, and help them to overcome this difficult moment especially during this time of year.
He added the people of Seychelles have also experienced the grief of this tragedy and have cried alongside the families but given the people’s belief and faith in God, He will make them see light of joyfulness at the end of the tunnel.
“The presence of each and every one of you today is very important. It is a sign of proof of you offering your shoulder to the family to lean on so they will have more comfort and courage to continue with their lives. Even though we are shedding tears today we must always remember that there is a God who is wiping those tears for us. An example for us to also help wipe the tears of others who are suffering and experiencing difficulties,” said Reverend Ramkalawan.
Dorothy, who worked as an accountant with Nouvobanq, leaves behind a son Sharif and daughter Maritza and two grandchildren. Wahida, who was working as a physiotherapist with the Ministry of Health, leaves behind her husband Allen Payet and two children, Andy and Aline Payet and two grandchildren.
All three bodies were cremated at the Padayachy’s Surya Funeral Parlour, Mont Fleuri.
It is to be noted that Maritza is still wheel-chair bound from injuries sustained in the disaster.
Today the Bel Ombre community will bid farewell to Hyacinthe Napoleon, 71, who was swept away in floods on December 6, and later found unresponsive in a river.
Photos by Louis Toussaint
