The captivating people of Fort Wellington tell their stories

A HAPPY place with happy people; that is what Fort Wellington is. Despite what challenges they may face, the people of this little village are the embodiment of joy. As well as being fun-loving they are extremely friendly and always ready to share their story.

On any day, Enid and her husband Hubert Thomas can be found chatting with their friends while having a drink or tending to the many ducks they have at their Fort Wellington home. The elderly couple has adult children and as such, neither of them work anymore. They instead chose to retire and lead a humble life. Both husband and wife enjoy simple things such as gardening and fishing from the canal behind their home. Hubert and his wife have a very quiet and serene life, just like many of their neighbours. But unlike his neighbours, Hubert’s story is a bit different.

The pair have called Fort Wellington home for 22 years and as Enid says, there is no place she’d rather live. In the past, the couple was involved in various businesses. Among those were farming and Huberts’s job as a land surveyor. One day while he was on the job, he had an encounter that would change his life. Hubert’s family has long since been troubled with diabetes. And it was always something he was watchful of until it took him by surprise one day three years ago. “I was a surveyor and one day, I felt something bore my foot. After that I came home and as I was lying in the hammock, I asked my wife to check my foot. And she saw a black spot and I went to the hospital to get it dressed.” said Hubert.

This was just the beginning of a roller coaster that changed his life forever. In the years that followed, Hubert lost his right leg just below the knee. To most people, this would be seen as the end of a fulfilling life, but Hubert Thomas isn’t most people. Even with the loss of his leg, he remained active and retained just as positive an outlook as ever. “And after a while, the doctors told me I was going to lose my little toe. And I was alright with that.” Hubert told Pepperpot Magazine.

Although he admits his journey wasn’t easy, he believes that challenges are no reason to give up. “Then, in 2020, I went to New Amsterdam Hospital. I was in the hospital for a while and I was in pain so I called my wife. From one toe to the next. I spent more than forty days in the hospital.” The next three years consisted of a number of doctor’s visits, money spent and time wasted in waiting rooms. And on December 31st of last year, he lost his left leg. This marked the end of the doctor’s visits, but the journey of learning and adjusting had just begun.

Hubert’s biggest adjustment was perhaps learning to deal with the fact that his legs were no longer where they were. He described the feeling of ‘phantom pain’, where he would still feel pain and sensations for his lost legs. In times like these, he would try to walk, get out of bed, and even scratch and itch. On this note, he stated that he has never felt sorry for himself nor his wife or family. “Not just because I don’t have legs means that I must want to die. Sometimes it’s just like before. I can do so many things for myself that I forget. I find myself feeling as if I still have legs and sometimes trying to scratch my toe. It’s even funny sometimes,” he said.

Today he could be found at his Fort Wellington home tending to his garden and ducks. He still indulges in the things he loves, never losing sight of what’s important. He still hangs out with his friends just as before, forever wearing the same smile. Both he and his wife are just a few examples of what can be conquered with an optimistic outlook and the strength to keep going.