Sascha Wilson
Dressed in the outfit she would have worn for her post-SEA photo shoot, 11-year-old Rachel Bhagwandeen was given a beautiful send-off on Saturday that brought most, if not everyone, to tears.
Rachel's favourite worship songs were played and her stuffed animals and other personal items were placed in her fuchsia pink coffin during her funeral service at her Fairview Lake, Freeport home.
"I never in a million years would have think that I'd be standing to do my daughter's funeral. There is something I used to pray, I would say God don't ever make me have to go through this, to bury one of my children..." recalled Rachel's father, Pastor Kelvin Bhagwandeen. Like many other relatives, both Bhagwandeen and his wife, Seema, were overcome with anguish, with them on more than one occasion falling to their knees and crying.
Rachel Bhagwandeen
During his sermon, Bhagwandeen admitted that when he got the news on August 25 that his daughter was killed by a dog (an American pitbull) at her uncle's home, he prayed that she was still alive.
When he got to the house, he lay next to his daughter's body, anointed her, and he prayed for a miracle. However, he said, "Rachel is dead yes, but her life goes on, she is with the Lord." Bhagwandeen also lashed out at cruel and heartless comments by social media users. "You see social media, social media will kill people because if I was not who I am and if my wife wasn't who she was, and we did not know that God is a good God, in spite of, oh my Lord, we would ah just give up. You see when people post things for likes they don't care who they affect, they don't care what damage they do to people just for a like."
A classmate plays a tribute on the pan to Rachel Sarah Bhagwandeen during her funeral service on Saturday.
RISHI RAGOONATH
Before breaking down in tears, Rachel's younger brother Jaylon, who was with her when the dog attacked, but she told him to run, said he could no longer rough play with her. "I really love her," he whispered. Rachel's older sister Krystal said she went from wanting to be a teacher to a veterinarian and fashion designer. "Rachel left us broken, but we know you are in a better place," she said.
Though she tried to stay strong, Rachel's mother collapsed, while her older brother Jadon fell to the ground crying.
Also speaking at the funeral, Rachel's teacher Andrea Daniel, whom she regarded as a second mother, noted that her death was ironic and unfair as she loved dogs. Tributes in song and dance were done by relatives and friends. Rachel's schoolmates from Vistabella Presbyterian School, including her best friend, did a pan tribute and recalled special times they shared with her. The interment took place at Broadway Cemetery in San Fernando.
