Senior Reporter
sascha.wilson@guardian.co.tt
At the funeral of Kelita King, who was killed in a car crash along with his friend Trey Collymore on February 11, his cousin urged people not to take chances with their lives.
Dail Martin, who gave the eulogy at the funeral service at the Marabella Evangelical Church yesterday, said King, 16, had gone out with friends to have fun but it ultimately cost him his life.
“Life is not something to play with. Just like Jahmal, we left to have fun and we never returned. Jahmal probably thought he left to come back but life is a funny thing... Let us take nothing for granted. I think Jahmal would have wanted us to come together and take nothing for granted,” she said.
Martin shared her memories of King as a child, referring to him by his nickname, Mosely. She described him as respectful, calm, articulate, and soft-spoken, and expressed her belief that had he lived into adulthood, he would have excelled in his endeavours.
Emmanuel “Pablo” Yarde, whose cousin, Joel Yarde, was one of the survivors of the crash, said King was a peacemaker, a loyal friend, and a brother.
“The man of the party we used to call him,” he said.
Carol Birjal, an acting dean at King’s school, expressed condolences on behalf of staff and students and offered support to the family.
Recalling her interactions with King, Birjal said although they were sometimes punitive, they were always pleasant.
“Kelita was always respectful and ready to accept responsibility for his actions or be the first to show remorse. His love and loyalty for his friends was fierce, and it was evident by all of them present today.”
Birjal said King’s death left a significant void, not only in the hearts of those who knew him but in the wider community.
Pastor Nari Bedase urged mourners not to focus solely on the tragedy, but to celebrate King’s life. He encouraged the community to invest in the lives of young people, noting there were many available faith-based programmes.
“Let’s find ways to help them be a part of it so that they can have the best chance possible to live productive and successful lives,” he said.
King and Collymore, 15, along with 16-year-old Yarde, were backseat passengers in a car driven by an underage driver who sped past a police roadblock in Marabella and crashed into a light pole near Flower Pot Beach. Yarde was hospitalised, while the driver and front seat passenger suffered minor injuries.
Collymore’s funeral was also held yesterday and the two teens were laid to rest side by side at the Marabella Public Cemetery.
