On Wednesday morning, Sha Elton King posted a status about missing his mother, who died tragically while riding a motorcycle 26 years ago.
Later that evening, he would pass away under similar circumstances.
Police reported that King, 48, was riding along Tudor Bridge, St Michael, travelling towards The City, when he was involved in a collision with a car, which was going in the opposite direction, around 4:25 p.m.
King, a father of one, who resided at Madison Terrace, Deacons Farm, St Michael, died on the spot. His was the eighth road death for the year.
Veronica Harte said she considered King – or ‘Jammin’ as he was known – as a son.
“He liked the bikes so bad. I constantly would tell him, ‘Don’t go on the bike’, but these men and their bikes. But lately, I think he was depressed or sad. [Wednesday] morning, he posted about missing his mum. His mum died the same way years ago,” she told the Saturday Sun.
The post read: “I miss my mom. I miss her smile, her voice, her sense of humour, her hugs. I miss the way she made everything feel better. I just miss her.”
On August 18, 1999, Hazel ‘Isha’ King and Cynthia Mounter died after the motorcycle they were riding collided with a bus outside the Lazaretto in Black Rock, St Michael.
Sha, who was 21 at the time, was photographed at the scene of the incident.
Only child
Harte explained that her grandson, who is Sha’s only child, has been having a hard time dealing with the death. His relatives
were also finding it challenging to cope.
“He is my grandson’s dad, and he was like my son. He was a loving person. He left his two sisters and his uncles are devastated.
“After his mum died, his aunt took on that banner. My younger children were also into Sha. He would look after them and he would take them out. He was like a dad and a big brother,” she said.
Although she was not sure about what was the true cause of the accident, she urged motorists to exercise caution.
President of the Barbados Road Safety Association, Roland Lowe, encouraged all road users to be vigilant and look out for each other.
“The persons with bigger vehicles owe a greater responsibility to look out for those persons who are more vulnerable on the road. Persons who are more vulnerable have to take more caution and look out for their safety because they are more susceptible to injury if there is a collision,” Lowe said.
After word spread that King had passed away, numerous Barbadians expressed their condolences on social media. Some Deacons residents also expressed their shock about the incident.
“We used to hang out together, so it was sad hearing about it. I still can’t believe Jammin gone,” one man said. (TG)
