RADHICA DE SILVA
radhica.sookraj@guardian.co.tt
Trinidadian-born truck driver John Jagurnauth grew up in Guyana, swimming the mighty Demerara River as a child.
So when he saw a vehicle overturned in a flooded area off the Caroni Bird Sanctuary last Thursday, he was experienced enough to safely swim through the swamp to save a stranded motorist who was struggling to breathe in the partially submerged car.
In the dead of night, with little fear of caimans or anacondas, Jagurnauth recalled how he prayed to God and then proceeded through the murky waters, eventually bringing Kern Keith, of Pleasantville, to safety.
Speaking at his Claxton Bay home, Jagurnauth said he remembered the Paria Fuel diving tragedy, which claimed the lives of Fyzal Kurban, Rishi Nagassar, Yusuf Henry and Kazim Ali Junior inside a 30-inch pipeline on February 25th, 2022, while the authorities failed to mount a rescue mission.
Jagurnauth said he was disappointed that firefighters and law enforcement officers refused to enter the water to save Keith, although it was only four to five feet high and he decided that Keith should not end up dead like the divers.
“It looked frightful to some of them because the flood was all around but when I assessed the scene, I realised that it will be no danger to me if I go to save him. I called out to him to find out if he was OK and if he was pinned by the seatbelt. He answered us and then I told the police I wanted to go in,” Jagurnauth recalled.
He said PC Aaron lost no time in giving him clearance to execute the rescue mission.
Within 15 minutes, Jagurnauth was able to bring Keith out of the water. Keith, who had been on his way to work, appeared to be in shock. Drifting and clutching Jagurnauth, he stumbled out of the water.
Keith was rushed to the nearby Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex in Mt Hope, where he remains hospitalized.
Jagurnauth said once Keith is released from the hospital, he planned to take him for a drink.
Asked how the experience had impacted his life, Jagurnauth said it made him feel blessed and grateful.
Saying God had already given him the ultimate reward, Jaggurnath said: “When God blesses you, it is better than any reward you can ever get.”
Jagurnauth said his mother, Bibi Sherida Jagurnauth, was his role model.
“When I think about how strong she is, she gives me strength. My parents grew us up with love and discipline and they taught us to be caring and kind,” Jagurnauth said.
He said his father, Deonath Jagurnauth, died last July, leaving a void in their family. Jagurnauth said his parents came to Trinidad to work years ago but their employers, a businessman from Arima, refused to pay them after they worked for months. Eventually, he called in immigration and the family had to move back to Guyana.
Jagurnauth said he returned to his homeland of Trinidad when he was 20 and applied for his ID card.
He later fell in love with bank worker Aneisha Jagurnauth, got married and had four children, two of whom were born during the pandemic.
Jagurnauth said although he was trained in the military in Guyana, he preferred to do truck driving. Having worked for Dumore Enterprises driving heavy trailer trucks, Jagurnauth said he left the oil and gas industry and opted to work with Junior Sammy contractors.
Over the weekend, Jagurnauth and his family were treated by Junior Sammy at the latter’s home.
“I felt happy that Mr Sammy would invite us to his home. It was a great experience and I was proud that I could be of service to someone in need,” Jagunauth said.
Even though he has options to live and work in Guyana, the United States or Canada, Jagurnauth said he prefers to live in his birthland.
“People in Trinidad like to focus on the doom and gloom and they do not see the beauty that is all around us. We have to learn to live with respect for one another and be kind regardless of race, religion or status,” Jagurnauth added.
