Beloved Guardian Media Sports "Play Whe" tipster Steve "Stars & Stripe" Lakhan has passed away. He was 74.
He died last Wednesday (October 6) while preparing to submit his tips for the following day's play. His son Shivanni Lakhan said he got the call from the home after he had spent some time in the hospital after falling ill about a week before his death.
"When I went to meet him he had the play charts on his bed. I feel he was either preparing numbers or had probably given it already. I didn't examine clearly but I just kept it with me," said Shivanni, yesterday.
Stars as he was called by his colleagues at GML for many decades, gave his final tips last Tuesday and was the following day, preparing to share his predictions for Thursday's play but didn't get a chance to. However, he passed away doing what he liked to do as he bid goodbye to this world.
Stars suffered a stroke at age 59 while employed at the Guardian newspaper where he managed the horse racing/Play Whe page and according to his son had managed well until the last few months when he fell ill and had to be hospitalised. He recovered somewhat and returned to a home where he resided.
"He seemed to be bouncing back but I guess God was ready for him," said Shivanni of his father, who he added would have turned 75 on October 18.
Stars was described by former Guardian Sports Editor Valentino Singh in a post on social media as "an intelligent and simple man".
Singh said: "I Woke up to the news that Steven Lakhan aka Stars and Stripes has gone to the great beyond. May his soul rest in peace. Stars revolutionised reporting on US horse racing here in T&T and enriched the pockets of many as "Plato" - Play Whe" expert in the Guardian."
He leaves to mourn his three children Shivanni, Ved and Shanta.
The funeral service of Stars will be held on Thursday at the Clive Allen Funeral Home Co Ltd and Crematorium in Guaico, Sangre Grande from 11 am. May his soul Rest In Peace.