The Tribune

By JEFFARAH GIBSON Tribune Features Writer THE hearse picked up Valentine Petit from the front of the Public Treasury building where he collapsed and died the day before Christmas Eve. The 48-year-old former security officer was trying to get the electricity reconnected at his home, as it had been turned off shortly before the holiday weekend. "My father went down to the Treasury to pick up a cheque. They told him it would be ready. When he got down there the cheque was not ready and they were giving him the run-around. He went down there from early that morning because everywhere closed half day and he was determined to get our light turned on. It was a long holiday weekend and business places did not open until that Tuesday," Mr Petit's only child, 20-year-old Valentino, said. Shortly before he collapsed and died, Valentino said his father called him from the Treasury telling him about the hassle he was experiencing. "He told me that they wanted him to bring in something else and the day before when he called them they did not tell him he needed this next document. He did not have a vehicle so he had to send someone to me to pick up the document. "My father left home perfectly healthy and just before I got a call saying he collapsed and died he called me, so I am still in shock because my father did not have any health issues. He left home just fine, then shortly after I heard he was dead. It surprises me every time I think about it. He wanted to really get our electricity on because he was the kind of man that made sure his family was taken care of. Even when he was out of work those past two months, he still made sure I was taken care of," Valentino said. Months leading up to his death, Mr Petit was always in high spirits. Singing was his favourite thing to do and it contributed to his jubilant attitude towards life. "Back in Haiti my father used to sing. He sang for the people in Haiti at certain events. That was something he loved to do and he did it all the time. When he moved to Long Island with my mother he sang for the tourists who came to visit the islands. That is where I get my nice singing voice from," he said. Mr Petit was always the life of the party at family functions, his son said. Sometimes Mr Petit would sing and dance for party guests. "He loved Bahamian music just as much as he loved Creole music. He was our entertainer. It is so unfortunate he is no longer here." Before meeting the love his life and moving to the Bahamas, Mr Petit migrated from Haiti, his place of birth, to Florida. There he attended Broward College and successfully completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in foreign languages. He also met Vernell, who later became his wife of twenty plus years. "My mother, who is from Long Island, went on a shopping trip to Florida where she met my father. At the time when they met he was attending the university studying languages. He could speak five different languages. He spoke English, Spanish, French, Latin and Creole. He was the one who taught me how to speak Creole and Spanish. I learned all of that from him." His knowledge of foreign languages is something he never kept to himself, Valentino said. "He taught our family members, children and persons in the neighbourhood how to speak different languages." Now Valentino, who lived with his father, has to face life on his own. His mother passed away several years ago. Valentino said he has been finding it very difficult to make arrangements for his father's funeral service because he has no money. "It has been a while now that my father's body has been in the morgue. I do not know when there will be a funeral for him because I have no money and I really want to bury my father. I am struggling and this is so hard," he said. Valentino and his family are appealing to the public for any assistance. Persons interested in assisting can contact Valentino Petit and or Apostle Agnes Glinton at the Greater Love Ministries who is helping the family make funeral arrangements at 428-5552 or 394-0734.