A 31-year-old father of one and staff of Republic Bank Limited died early Sunday morning when his car slammed into a bridge at Felicity Railway Embankment, East Coast Demerara.
Dead is David Matthew Headley. Guyana Chronicle was informed that the young man, who hails from South Ruimveldt Gardens, recently welcomed a bouncing baby into the world.

According to a police statement which was released on Sunday morning, it was noted that sometime around 05:00hrs, Headley was reportedly driving his motorcar, PRR 2531, at a fast rate when he lost control. As a result, the young man received injuries about his body. He was removed from the vehicle and taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital where doctors on duty pronounced him dead on arrival.

Headley’s death sent shockwaves among his friends, some of whom took to social media to express their sadness. Lisa Hamilton, a church friend, said “David, you will be missed. I only remember the good times. Just Saturday, I saw you at church. You went to dedicate your son to God. We spoke outside, briefly, where we joked about something. You were holding him in the car seat and he was fast asleep. I am so sorry that he won’t be able to grow up with his father and you with him. I’m so sorry and it’s unfair,” Hamilton, a reporter at the Guyana Chronicle stated. “You asked me how I was doing and said you hadn’t seen me in ages. I blamed work and tiredness. I swear I only remember the good times.

You and our group of friends who met online in the Guyana Conference of SDA group would come all the way up to Linden to hang out…” “This is the first time that a friend of mine has died and I’m not sure how to feel. Feels surreal. Feels like it’s not true. Feels like somebody else, not you. But what I feel must be a fraction of what those closest to you must feel. I’m so sorry. On behalf of the group of friends we shared (Odella, Keane-Ann, Chevy, Cowen, etc) we miss you already. I promise we’ll only remember the good times.”

Christopher Matthias, another friend, said it was only on Saturday he and Headley shook hands, embraced and greeted each other. “Your family and self were all smiles as you arrived to have lunch at one of my favourite spots. It appeared as if you had just come from church. Then, this morning (Sunday), as I made my way to perform my regular Sunday market chores, my friend read the news of a crash involving a Republic Bank staff. Upon enquiry as to who it was, I had to pull over as I couldn’t believe the name that was being told to me,” Matthias wrote on his Facebook page.

He added:” So sudden! So soon! Just after the dedication of your baby. You were one of the few individuals who were passionate about your work, sports etc. and although we were mostly friends on facebook, it felt as if we had known each other for such a long time; as if even from the same home/neighbourhood. Condolences to your entire family, relatives, workmates and friends,” Matthias wrote. .

Another Adventist youth, Latoya Roberts, also recalled seeing Headley at church on Saturday “As you came to church and offered your son back to God and I sat there feeling so hopeful and thought about him coming up through the ranks like we did…Now this morning (Sunday) you are gone. I want a do over. I want to call you more and encourage you more. I want your mom to have you back and for your son to grow with you. I just want to wake up and be told this is not real…” Roberts expressed.

Former assistant youth leader of the Guyana Conference of Seventh-Day Adventist, Brandford Burke, recalled that Headley would fondly call him “Pops” and was full of life and energy. “I could not understand why he stepped aside from the original course, but I gave him whatever support he requested. A football fanatic like I am and a basketball fan, we differed in so many instances, but he remained a “cool ruler”.

I understand that he did what most parents do with their babies, at his home, church, Carmel SDA Church just Saturday. Today, he’s no longer here, another victim of road accident in GT,” Burke, now living in New York, wrote.