Iyara shows gratitude
Iyara stepped up to convey his gratitude to 12 men who retrieved the body of 65-year-old hunter Renold Franklin, who had gone missing a week before in the Rio Grande Valley in Portland.
“Mr Franklin, everyone calls him Bangy, had fallen off a ravine in the Rio Grande and he was there for three to four days and these guys went and stayed in the forest with him. I thought that the gesture showed the resilience and community spirit of Jamaicans so I wanted to reward them for their effort,” said Iyara, who hails from the same community of Bellevue District in the Rio Grande Valley of Portland.
Franklin, who hunted wild hogs for the better part of 40 years, went missing after a day of hunting with a brother and friends.
“I am just glad that the family was able to have closure because of the efforts of these men so I helped to raise $300,000 to assist the community. We raised US$1,300 for the guys who help and $700 for the funeral and that meant a lot to the people of Bellevue District, and a lot to me,” said the Own Way deejay.
“It made me proud to know that these men did such a great thing and we come from the same community. We are Bellevue Strong,” Iyara added.
After four days, the body was eventually removed from a ravine in the hilly interior of the Rio Grande Valley by a Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) helicopter, which was called in to assist with the recovery effort.
Delroy Mullings, a nephew of Renold Franklin, said the terrain was challenging and they had to be resilient to undertake the retrieval of the body.
“Boy, it was challenging but we all put in the work. My uncle was in the bush from the Sunday, and we appreciate the efforts of the guys who went into the forest to find the body. The Wednesday night, we stayed in the bush with the body because the helicopter came but said the area was too foggy, and they needed 80 feet clearance. We chopped down trees to get the body out, 40 feet on each side. It was rough, in the night; we have to sleep on the ground; we tough it out till daylight, each one teach and preach one,” said mason Delroy “Max” Mullings, 45.
He thanked the Own Way team for their generous support.
“I would like to thank Iyara and Byron and the whole Own Way team and the supporters who gave us their contribution, we thank you for every dollar, nuff love.”
“The family is still in a state of shock, but we ah get back together, you know how family business ting can be rough at times, some did a cuss say why he had to be out there but ah him livelihood, hunting ah him sport, him love it,” Mullings said.
The men who contributed to the search were Norman “Riva” DaCosta; Denver “Moonie” Fisher; Donovan “Happa” Fisher; Glenroy “White Man” Anderson; Christopher “Big Head” Hill; Denroy “Val” White; Tino “Jason” White; Delroy “Max” Mullings; Eric “Gilly Gon” Franklin; James “Pantro” Rainford; Keina “K9” Franklin; and Kevar “Var” Williams.
In the meantime, Iyara has released a Christmas-themed dancehall song called Jingle Bell (Ring Di Bell). The song is produced by Sipo Records and was released on November 17 via all digital download platforms.
He recently delivered a high-energy professional set at the Orlando Legendary Weekend alongside headline acts such as Alkaline, Gyptian, Tifa and D’Angel.
Iyara is known for the songs Yaadman Inna Farrin, Rich and Wealthy, and Live Cash.