crash

For Tameka Barrat, losing her twin sister was losing the person she describes as her “other half.”

Now, as she tries to come to terms with a loss that came suddenly and tragically, Barrat is asking the Bahamian community for help giving her sister, Toniquea Gilot, a final farewell.

“Help us lay our beloved twin sister, Toniquea Gilot, to rest,” Barrat wrote in a GoFundMe campaign launched on Monday.

Toniquea was among 10 people killed in a plane crash on July 10, Bahamas Independence Day, while travelling from Nassau to San Andros.

She was also a singer with the Pond Band, bringing music and her own presence to the lives of those who knew her.

For her twin, however, Toniquea was family and her other half.

And now Tameka is facing the painful reality of having to bury her.

“Losing my twin sister is a pain that is difficult to put into words,” Barrat wrote. “She was not only my sister, but my other half, and her sudden passing has left an enormous hole in our family.”

The family is now trying to raise $7,000 to help cover the costs associated with Toniquea’s burial, including a burial plot, casket, funeral arrangements and other necessary expenses.

For a family already dealing with the shock of losing a loved one in such a sudden way, the financial burden can make an already painful period even harder.

Barrat is therefore turning to relatives, friends, strangers and anyone willing to help.

“We are reaching out to family, friends, and anyone who feels moved to help us during this incredibly difficult time,” she said.

“Anything will help,” she later wrote on Facebook.

It is a small request carrying a heavy weight. The family wants to give Toniquea the peaceful and dignified farewell they believe she deserves.

“Forever loved and forever missed, forever my twin,” Tameka wrote.

Click here to help: GoFundMe

In the quiet hours before dawn on Sunday, a twin-engine plane crashed under unknown circumstances, leading to the loss of two lives in Ragged Island.

The accident occurred east of Duncan Town Airport, and authorities were alerted to the tragedy shortly before 5 a.m.

The local police force, supported by members of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, Operation Bahamas Turks and Caicos, and the US Drug Enforcement Agency arrived to find the aircraft consumed by fire.

The aftermath of the crash was grim, with the charred remains of two individuals discovered among the wreckage.

The tranquil and close-knit community of Ragged Island is mourning the loss of life.

The identities of the victims have not been released, pending notification of next of kin.

Authorities are piecing together the events that led to this unfortunate incident.

The tourist killed when the all-terrain vehicle in which he was a passenger crashed and rolled over, was described as “a kind, caring and gentle soul.”

Wilber Jorge was visiting Nassau, Bahamas, from the USA, and died unexpectedly after he was ejected from the 2019 Can-AM Outlander Four Wheeler on Sunday. Authorities said he sustained serious injuries after Carol Garcia, also visiting from the US, lost control of the ATV.

“He lived his life to the fullest every single day…” his daughter, Keyshla Jorge said, describing him as “an amazing father” to her three siblings.

“He was loved dearly by all his family.”

Susy Mero, his partner, said she is still processing the events surrounding Jorge’s sudden death and expressed her profound love for him.

“I loved you (Jorge). I love you and I will always love you.”

Since the crash, Jorge’s remains are still in the Bahamas and his family is hoping to transport his body to Lakeworth, Florida with monies raised from GoFundMe.

“Anything helps…we want to bring him home to his loved ones,” Mero said.

The family is hoping to raise $50,000 to cover the funeral expenses and offer financial help for his children.

Meanwhile, Garcia is on $18,000 bail after a charge of vehicular manslaughter was levied against her. She stands accused of dangerously driving the ATV in a public space which caused the death of Jorge.

As the family plans a date for the funeral, Mero admonished others, “Please hug your loved ones tightly as you never know what can happen.”

Featured photo: Wilber Jorge is shown with partner Susy Meso