A steady stream of mourners made their way to the Parliament Building to bid farewell to The Right Excellent Sir Garfield Sobers whose body was lying-in-state.
Some came clutching photographs, others arrived draped in the national flag, but all were united by a single purpose – to catch one final glimpse of a man who helped to shape the pride of a nation.
Inside, the atmosphere was hushed and reverent. The body lay dressed in a dark suit accented by the national colours, watched over by a guard of honour from the Barbados Coast Guard.
Visitors moved slowly past, many pausing to whisper a final goodbye or wipe away tears, before stepping aside to add their names and thoughts to a condolence book that filled page by page as the day wore on.
The crowd included not only ordinary citizens but senior political figures and foreign dignitaries, all drawn to honour a life that stretched far beyond the boundary of a cricket field.
The life of National Hero Sir Garfield will be celebrated in a service of thanksgiving on Wednesday at Kensington Oval and he will be laid to rest at Coral Ridge Memorial Gardens. (DDS)
