CHRISTMAS was a little more than Christmas when Kescia was around, said her father Alfred Branche, as he reflected on the times they shared during the festive season.

The 22-year-old teacher of the Richard Ishmael Secondary School, who was a resident of First Street, Cummings Lodge, was found unconscious on the roadway at Louisa Row. Her left leg was broken and she had sustained multiple head injuries. She was hospitalised at the Georgetown Public Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU), where she succumbed.
This was a story that brought tears to the eyes of her father, who took deep breaths after every sentence during his reflection on the happier days that his family spent together, especially at Christmas.
“Unfortunately, for this period, I don’t know if it is a good thing or a bad thing, because Christmas Day happens to be my birthday,” Branche told the Guyana Chronicle during an interview at his home in Annandale, East Coast Demerara, on Friday.
Branche said Kescia and her sister would usually compete to see who could wish him happy birthday and merry Christmas first.
He remembered how she would call and wake him out of his sleep to say: “Daddy, you still sleeping? It’s your birthday, wake up!”

TALK FOR HOURS
After she was successful in waking him up, they would talk for hours, since they did not live together. But later in the day, he said, they would come together as a family and have a gathering at his mother’s house.

“I am the only child for my mother,” he said, “so those were her only grandchildren… Christmas was a little more than just Christmas, because a birthday was involved.”
He said Kescia will definitely be missed this year and every year to come. His grandmother also passed away a few days ago in the U.S., so the family would not be doing a big celebration this year. Instead, they intend to pass the time quietly, and reflect on the better times they had together.
Death is inevitable and it is something that no human can really prepare for, Mr Branche said, adding that Kescia’s sister got married in May of this year in Barbados, and that he and Kescia had planned to keep a celebration in Guyana next May for her sister’s first anniversary.
Of course, that would not be possible anymore, but he told the Guyana Chronicle that he will try to get Kescia’s son to spend the day with them.
Speaking about Kescia’s child brought back memories of her as a child. Her father said she had a fire about her, and it was evident because she was very determined to work tirelessly towards her goals.
Kescia was remembered as someone who was very active in community activities while growing up, and even prior to her demise she was part of the Volunteer Youth Corps.

MEANT THE WORLD
“She had a lot of life in her, and had plans for the future,” he said, adding:
“Her son meant the world to her, and as he grows, we’ll build new memories. But all we can do now is cherish the memories we had of her… God knows what’s best.”
But try as he might, he’s still to fully come to grips with the fact that she is gone, because the latter part of her life they did not live together, but always reached out to each other frequently.
Still stricken with grief, Branche said he still has lingering thoughts that she is still around and will call whenever she needs something. But he knows he is only fooling himself by thinking that.
He is beginning to think that December is not his month, because in 2014 around this time, his father and sister died. They were both involved in a car accident at Rosignol, West Coast Berbice (WCB) but only his sister died in the accident. However, due to grief, his father committed suicide a few days later.
Clearly devastated by all that’s happened, Branche said that he does not intend giving up because God knows what is best.
Asked if he was pleased with the ongoing police investigation into the death of his daughter, Branche said judging from the amount of work that would have been done, he is satisfied, but hopes that justice will be served soon.

REMANDED TO PRISON
Taxi driver Matthew Munroe has been remanded to prison and was instructed to make his next court appearance on January 9, 2018, for the commencement of the Preliminary Inquiry (PI) into the matter.
Persons reported seeing her being touched inappropriately by the man, and she also appeared to have been under the influence. Persons also recalled seeing her at the popular Seeta’s Bar on Station Street, Kitty.
There are many families out there whose stories have gone untold, but Branche would like to advise those persons who are experiencing similar struggles to believe that God does not make mistakes and whatever happened, happened for a reason.
Quoting a popular saying, Branche said: “If your hands are filled, you cannot receive your blessing because there is no place to accept.”
The distraught father would also like to urge persons to take things in good faith and let go, because God knows best.