St. Cuthbert’s Mission tragedy…Heroic QC student to be laid to rest today

Dec 31, 2011 News

While many will be out preparing to usher in the New Year, the Ramdeo family of Good Hope, East Coast

Dead 13 year-old Anand Ramdeo

Demerara will be saying farewell to little Anand Ramdeo who died after saving his six year-old niece from drowning.
Anand, also called ‘Joey,’ who was a student of Queen’s College, will be laid to rest later today. On Thursday evening the lad, along with his six year-old niece, Anjalie Ramdeo and another relative went on a jaunt in a boat when the vessel, which had a hole, sank with them in a creek at St. Cuthbert’s Mission.
Other relatives ran to the aid of the trio but Anand, who had pushed his niece to the bank of the creek, was swept away by the tide.
The other female who was also in the creek was rescued along with little Anjalie. Anand’s body was pulled from the creek several hours later.
This incident has not only left the lad’s family in shock and grief but also his school teachers and friends. Yesterday the Head Teacher and other staff members of Queen’s College visited the lad’s home to offer their condolences. His class mates described him as someone who was always willing to lend assistance to those around him.
He was also described as a cricket and gadgets fanatic.
“Joey did everything around the house. He was the baby of the family and he held it together…any new piece of gadget that came into the house he fixed it or set it up. He had a God given talent to those things,”, his grieving sister said.
She added that Anand was always full of energy and did his best to make people around him happy and comfortable.

Survivor 6 year-old Anjalie who was rescued by her 13 year-old uncle Anand Ramdeo

“The days leading up to his death seem to have been the happiest for him…he went out and bought gifts for everybody this Christmas…he did the decorating, I would say he was a very happy child and he lived a full life”, she added.
Annie further recalled that the night before the incident, Anand was playing with his niece.
“He would always find time for her, he was also very protective of her.”
However, six year-old Anjalie she is still trying to figure out what really happened. According to her mother she still believes that Anand would come back ‘to play with her’.
For the lad’s mother every second around the house is painful for her as she has not been able to come to grips with her loss.
“Every where she turns in the house she start to cry. She says everything in the house reminds her of Joey…”
Anand was among the Country’s top performers back in 2010 at the National Grade Six Assessment Examination. His excellent academic performance continued for his short stint at Queens College as he has been described by his teachers and friends as a Grade ‘A’ student.