Death leaves family with ‘heavy hearts’

THE DEATH of 68-year-old Errol Briggs on Spring Garden Highway on Sunday has left his family “devastated”. Speaking to the DAILY NATION yesterday via telephone from Toronto, Canada, his sister Yvonne Boardman said she could not understand what happened. “He was always so careful. He used to tell us how dangerous that road was, so I can’t understand how this happened,” she said. Boardman said her brother was a giving man who would share whatever he had. “Errol was the kind of man who would do anything for you. If you approached him with a sad story or if you were in need, he would give you what he could. He was also very good at repairing TVs [televisions],” she said.His uncle, Malcolm Briggs, 79, of Brandons, St Michael, said he was heavy-hearted. He said his Barbadian-born nephew was a frequent visitor to the island and made daily visits to the nearby beach.“He used to live in Toronto but was on vacation. He comes every year and used to stay with me and go to the beach every day. My heart is heavy,” he said.Boardman said her brother always looked forward to coming to Barbados.“He loved Barbados, he could hardly wait to come here. I can’t believe it’s true [that he is dead]. My mum and the rest of us are talking but it hurts inside. We’re trying to show good faith, only time will heal,” she said.Long-time family friend Ronald Lewis said he had spoken to Errol the same day he died. He said the news left him with a “terrible headache”.“I have been friends with both Errol and Malcolm for ‘donkey’ years. That day the fellas filled up the car with gas and went and buy two cases of drinks. He said he would be going to the beach later, and that was it. I went home and then I get the news he had died,” he said.Malcolm Briggs said he heard the news from someone in the neighbourhood and went to the scene but was prevented from viewing his nephew by his friends as they did not want him to see the state Errol was in.Errol Briggs laid underground cables in Toronto before retiring. He was married twice and has three daughters and two grandchildren. (CA)