HUNDREDS of persons from across Guyana congregated at the Calvary Temple Assembly of God Church in Linden to pay their last respects to Jonnel and Phillip Armstrong – the two brothers who were killed in a vehicular accident on October 1.

They were the sons of Region 10 Regional Health Officer Dr. Pansy Armstrong and veteran dentist Joseph Armstrong. They were also the brothers of Joan Armstrong and Attorney-at-Law Tamara Khan, the wife of the Director of Public Information Imran Khan. Jonnel, who was a promising aeronautical engineer, was the husband of Olesa Drakes-Armstrong and the

father of a baby girl.

Before the multitude of people on Saturday, Mrs Khan chronicled the lives of her brothers, who were described by many as fun-loving individuals, who were always willing to lend a helping hand.

Jonnel, 28, and Phillip 25, had attended the Watooka Day Primary School before moving onto the Linden Foundation Secondary School.

In their spare time, as children growing up in Linden, they attended piano classes and engaged in outdoor activities.

“Jonnel liked taking gadgets apart,” Tamara said fondly as she fought the tears from flowing while reading their eulogies.

He was outgoing, effervescent and chatty, she recalled, while Phillip, who was known for having a pleasant smile on his face, was quiet, observant and spent a lot of time internalising.

“He [Phillip] loved to laugh,” Tamara added, even as she acknowledged that he was a young man of incredible strength.

Jonnel’s love for engineering had led him to the Art Williams and Harry Wendt Aeronautical Engineering School. At the time of his death, he was an aeronautical engineer at Air Services Limited.

But he not only had a love for engineering, the 28-year-old had tremendous love for his wife and daughter, his sister recalled. He was saving for his daughter and building for his wife’s future.

Phillip on the other hand initially started Computer Science at the University of Guyana, but his love for medicine had caused him to switch courses and so he opted to do ophthalmology at the said university.

But his life was not without challenges. He had suffered from sickle-cell anaemia, and as such while growing up he experienced immense pain, particularly when he went into a crisis. But as he grew older, he resisted the pain, his sister said, noting that he was determined to live a normal life.

After the eulogies, there were many tributes by their families and friends. Latoya Joseph, one of their friends, said she had many fun times with the brothers as she went down memory lane.

She recalled that when she and Jonnel had first moved to Georgetown to further their studies, they shared an apartment for approximately three years.

Prior to living in Georgetown, Joseph recalled that their “hang out spot” was Jonnel and Phillip’s room in Watooka. She, Olesa and several other friends would visit the brothers at their parents’ home where they were constantly encouraged to pursue higher education.

“Phil was the quiet one and humble, Jonnel was the one who liked to experiment,” she told the Guyana Chronicle in a subsequent interview.

“They touched the lives of many. I could go on and on of all the things myself and Jonnel and his wife did together, but things wouldn’t ever be the same.

In his memory, she and other friends wore T-shirts carrying the brothers’ photos.

Among those at the funeral service were Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams, Minister within the Ministry of Public Health Dr. Karen Cummings, Minister within the Ministry of Communities Valerie Adams-Patterson, Region 10 Parliamentarians, the Chief Medical Officer Dr. Shamdeo Persaud, Region 10 Chairman Renis Morian, former Regional Chairmen of Region 10 Mortimer Mingo and Sharma Solomon, and Deputy Mayor of Georgetown, Sherod Duncan.

Other health officials from across the country were also present, along with representatives from the University of Guyana, Air Services Limited, the Region 10 Regional Democratic Council, schools and the churches across Linden.

Jonnel and Phillip were on their way to Linden to assist their parents when the accident occurred in the vicinity of Friendship on the East Bank of Demerara.