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Gabriel’s Story
By Danielle Perkinson
I’ve always believed that our names have been predestined, long before our parents even decide what to call us... our destinies and personalities have been written in the stars, so that it’s no surprise that when I first met Gabriel, he indeed emanated such strength tha the couldn’t help but reinforce the Hebrew meaning of his name – strong man of God. Not only in biblical terms is Gabriel one of the seven archangels, but his earthly namesake, twenty-two year old Gabriel Bryant I’m sure would have been described as just that by his mother – Angela Bryant – before she succumbed to cervical cancer in mid 2006.
While I came prepared with a lot of questions for this interview, right off the bat my plans went out the door, as I immediately became intrigued by the story that was unfolding from this upbeat, smiling young man. I succumbed to the depth of the experience in his eyes and in his words, so I just let him tell his story.
The third of five children to a Trinidadian mother and Dominican father, Gabriel spent most of his formative years living in Dominica with his parents and two younger brothers Paul and Shakeel. It seemed as though from very early that life was going to be a struggle for this young family, for soon after moving to Dominica their home was completely destroyed by Hurricane Marilyn.
However, through her perseverance and commitment to her family Angela Bryant managed to secure a home with the help of the Dominican Red Cross. This is just one of many examples that Gabriel shared with me of the perseverance and strength of spirit of his mother even as she suffered through the adverse side effects of being treated for her cancer by chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
“Mummy” he said “was always singing and smiling, despite her sickness, she was never depressed, she was always happy and excited.” Angela Bryant was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2001, soon after giving birth to her last son Shakeel in Dominica. She returned to her homeland, Trinidad in mid 2003, without telling her children (who remained in Dominica) of her affliction to begin treatment for cancer. It was only upon her return to Trinidad, did Gabriel learn of her condition, and at a time when he was preparing to write CXC examinations. Undaunted, Gabriel went on to write his exams, and quickly returned to Trinidad to be at his mother’s side while she underwent her treatment.
Thirteen long years had passed, since he last lived in Trinidad, and it was important to Angela to quickly teach her son how to adapt to the fast paced, hustle and bustle of living in a “big” city like San Fernando. “In Dominica it was nothing like this,” he says of the busy San Fernando streets filled with people, a city he hadn’t seen since he was a small child. He went on to say that even though she never actually said it out loud, he felt as though his mother wanted to teach him all that she could in the time she had left to enable him to adequately take care of Paul and Shakeel after she was gone. By that time both Paul and Shakeel had joined Gabriel and Angela in Trinidad.
Angela made sure that her sons developed a routine whereby Gabriel was the family “chef”, Paul was the “fryer” and Shakeel was the “juice man.” “We all looked after each other, and mummy, of course” Gabriel then drifts off, seemingly remembering the times when they were all together in the small apartment they shared in San Fernando.
As I listened intently I became wrapped up in a world of struggle, pain, trials and tribulation even though the underlying tone was always one of hope for a brighter future, if not for herself but for her sons. I realized that while Angela may have accepted the finality of her disease, she made sure that the loving sons she left behind would be prepared to face a world where they would be respectful, educated and independent young men. As Gabriel insisted, she always made sure he remained focused on his studies, and he stated that he was happy that “at least she got to see me start my studies in University, she even met my girlfriend and gave her her blessings.”
It is now one year since Angela Bryant passed away on May 29th 2006, at the age of forty-five, but I’m sure had she been here she would continue to encourage her children to remain strong in faith and in the Lord, continually pushing them to pursue their dreams. Today, Gabriel is in his second year at the University of Trinidad and Tobago where he is pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering. He was also recently awarded one of a few internship positions offered by Methanex Limited, where he excitedly spends his days absorbing all there is to learn in a field he loves. He closes by saying, “Mom would be proud.”