With a single red rose in hand, 21-year-old Justin Francette waited anxiously for permission to attend the funeral of his three-year-old son Prince Francette who died in a car explosion last Friday.
However, the distraught father never got the chance to say goodbye on Wednesday.
Prince’s mother Maria Granger told police she did not want to see Francette at the funeral because he never assisted Prince when he was alive.
Francette sought assistance from the Tableland police who agreed to escort him to the Tableland cemetery where the child was buried. However, to avoid a confrontation with Granger, the father agreed to leave the district and instead will hold his own memorial service for his son.
At Prince’s great grandmother’s home at Gafoor Trace, Tableland, the purple casket bearing the tiny corpse, was brought in around 1 pm.
Granger wept loudly and had to be placed on a chair where other relatives wiped her forehead.
A cake was placed on top of the casket along with his favourite Spiderman toy. Prince’s pet name was Spidey. His aunt Amanda who took care of him from birth was inconsolable.
Following a short service at the house, the mourners went to the Green Pastures Pentecostal Church where the official service was held.
Pastor Mervyn Rodgeigers told the relatives that Prince was the epitome of love and even in death he was loved. Pastor John Gomez said Prince touched many lives and it was time for him to return to heaven.
“This little boy has not died. His body is gone but his spirit and his soul lives on. He is in a much better place than you and I,” Gomez said.
During the eulogy, Amanda said Prince united their family.
“He touched all of us. I loved him as if he was my own child. We did everything to keep him with us. He made us love each other and come together,” Amanda said.
Uncle Joseph Granger said Prince was a brilliant child.
“I always thought he would grow up to becoming someone who could show the world something new. I did not expect him to die so young. The pain is great but always remember that God is on our side,” Granger said.
After the service, the toddler was buried at the Tableland Public Cemetery.
Contacted after the funeral, Francette said he cannot find closure as he never got a chance to say goodbye to his son.
“I never even get an opportunity to drop a rose on my son’s coffin. Imagine I have to ask for permission for that. It real heart-breaking. I don’t want to talk about it,” Francette said.
In an interview prior to the funeral, Granger said Prince’s death had left many unanswered questions.
“She said she and Justin Francette were high school sweethearts and got married in a civil ceremony at the Warden Office when they were both 18 years old.
For four months they lived together at mother-in-law’s home at Tabaquite but things did not work out and they separated. A year ago they both decided to make one more attempt to save their marriage.
She added that Prince loved his father and always begged her to go to Tabaquite by his father.
Granger said she will never forgive Francette because he did not save her son.
