EFFORTVILLE, Clarendon — Eighty-two-year-old Lawson Brown will be able to sleep better at night knowing that his basic needs are covered, thanks to the kindness of neighbours and a businessman who rallied to help.

The partially blind senior citizen has been living on his own since his wife died four years ago at their home in Effortville. He is unable to fend for himself as his frail frame cannot stand up to rigorous activity. The slightest obstacle, at times, appears insurmountable.

“Sometime when mi buck mi toe it burn mi bad and mi can’t even sleep at night,” lamented the senior citizen as he struggled to find the right words to convey the extent of his plight. “Mi having a rough time, especially since she died, because I can’t really manage to look after something to eat, so I go to bed hungry sometimes. Life is very hard with me.”

Born and raised in Manchester, Brown said in his 30s he moved to Clarendon where he made a life for himself. He has six children but has no idea where they are today. He has no known illnesses but time has taken a toll on his body.

“I spent five weeks in the hospital last year because my feet wouldn’t stop hurt me. But all now the doctor don’t tell me what happen to them and it still pain me. Sometimes at nights when me fi sleep a just pain under mi foot-bottom dem and in mi toe dem,” he said.

He wants to go back to the doctor but doesn’t have the money.

His suffering has not gone unnoticed. It has now become too much to bear for community member Owen Mitchell, who was spurred to action, as he is no longer able watch the elderly man suffer.

“Mi know him for a good while now. He used to be a mason back in the days when he was younger and could manage himself,” Mitchell explained, adding that he had long admired Brown. “But him get old now and since his partner died some years ago, mi realise him a suffer. So we put on a small cook-out called Blue Rave and decided we have to do something for him from that because nobody not around to look after him like that.”

It breaks his heart that none of the elderly man’s family members are around.

“It look a way [because] although he has family, over time, we realise nobody come to visit him. No matter what caused them to fall out somebody should be there to look out for him and give him something every week or every other week. No matter what did happen down the line, put that behind and nuh watch the past, do di likkle weh you can do when you can,” Mitchell urged. He said a neighbour — identified only as Miss Winsome — has been giving Brown meals whenever possible.

Things are expected to get a bit easier, however, now that proprietor of the Stoplight Wholesale in May Pen, Junior Wilson, has promised to provide groceries for the senior citizen.

“When I learnt of the situation I decided to assist because he is an elderly man who lives all by himself and relies on the kindness of other persons to survive. It’s a privilege to be able to help in this way. The type of business I run, people support me, so that makes it easier for me to give back and that gives me a good sense of satisfaction,” Wilson said.

Like Mitchell, he is hoping Brown’s family will find their way back into his life and help him. The man’s plight, he said, is a cautionary tale.

“We all make mistakes, but there comes a point in life when you have to think about how you will manage when you get older. Some people just live for the moment as if there is no tomorrow, but there is always a tomorrow. Sometimes, you look after your children when you are young but that doesn’t mean they are going to do the same for you when you get old. You have to think for yourself; you must ensure you have some form of safety net to fall back on,” said Wilson.

Brown will be provided with groceries and toiletries fortnightly for the next six months and, according to Wilson and Mitchell, the assistance will continue if needed.

Both men hope their good deed will encourage others to help others in need.

“As a small promoter, if I can do this and assist someone, the bigger promoters can do something like this too. Persons in their communities are suffering, so they need to look and see what is taking place and try to help even one person in that community. In every community there is an ‘elder’ who needs someone to take care of them, and I believe if each one help one that will make a difference,” Mitchell said..

He also lauded Miss Winsome who, he said, has in the past supplied Brown with meals from her own limited means. He hopes she will continue to cook his meals with the groceries provided by Wilson. The grocery store owner added his appeal for more Good Samaritans to come forward.

“I always encourage other businesspersons to assist others where they can because there are persons who are less fortunate and will always have some type of need, and COVID-19 has made it even worse for some persons to survive,” Wilson said.