A CRY FOR HELP! - Old Harbour family seeks assistance to rebuild broken home

Detached doors, crumbling walls and what remains of the roofless, cobweb-filled dwelling tells the story, partially, of what Christopher and Victoria Perry, and their family endure on a daily basis.

Christopher had a stroke, and has to take medication daily. Eating a balanced meal, on time, is extremely important for him. But even this requirement cannot be met, as they simply cannot afford it. Yesterday, he told this newspaper that he had not eaten since Tuesday morning.

This is a far cry from better times during their 25-year marriage. In the past four years especially, they have been through extremely difficult times.

What used to be a four-bedroom home with a happy family, is now a broken down, dilapidated one-bedroom dwelling devoid of joy and contentment.

The withered real estate reflects their overall position. Poverty has caused the family to split, as one room isn't enough to host the family. So Christopher chose to stay in the broken down house, while his wife and children are housed by a friend nearby.

"A did four bedrooms and now we barely have one. The kitchen can't use. The doors dem drop right off and the roof collapse," Victoria said, while making an appeal to the public for help, when THE STAR visited their home on Darlington Avenue, Old Harbour, St Catherine.

"It start (to) collapse about three years now and the board dem rotten. No electricity is here so mi husband sleep in here at nights in the dark ... mosquitoes all a bite him up, everything," she added.

Prior to this, Christopher, who is 52, was the breadwinner when he was employed as a public transport operator. Victoria, 56, also contributed from her earnings as a higgler.

However, Christopher's stroke has rendered him almost helpless.

"About four years now he got a stroke and everything just got bad. Sometimes he can't even remember things. Sometimes the only little money mi make is from day's work or when I go Old Harbour go hustle and sell little rags and scotch brite and thing," Victoria shared.

"Is seven children mi have, but mi only have mi 13-year-old in school plus mi nine-year-old granddaughter, so a mi and mi granddaughter, two sons and mi husband live here. In fact, we nuh really live here, is just mi husband stay here. For about two years the rest a we a stay up a mi friend house," she pointed out.

Christopher is dependent on his wife daily. He spends his nights in the only room of their house, which is in dire need of repair. A dirty mattress and a section of what used to be a dresser, are the only two pieces of furniture inside the structure.

"Mi come down a day time and it tough. Right now him want look after and mi can't afford to buy the things dem. Right now him hungry bad and mi deh here a say mi a hustle fi go buy pound a rice and a tin a mackerel fi cook so him can eat suppen. Nobody nah really help we and mi have to make the pickney dem go school. So more time any likkle thing mi get mi use it send dem go school. Right now dem want two tablets and I can't afford it," Victoria said.

Her troubles cause her many sleepless nights.

"The entire place crumble down and everything waan rectify. A outside mi have to cook. Bed, stove and everything weh fi inna house gone. Things just nuh right at all. Mi husband deh pon medication and a lot of times we can't afford it and is the clinic help we out," she said. "Mi a beg anyone who can help, to please help us out with whatever they can."

Persons wishing to assist the Perry family may call 876-36 9-4864.