There are heroes all around us in Bermuda

Last week I made mention of a few men who have had a profound effect on my upbringing.

I purposely left out a few persons, because they deserve their own column. 

Today I will share my thoughts of them. 

I grew up between two neighbourhoods — Pond Hill, Pembroke and Hermitage Road, Devonshire. In both of these communities, there were regular, working class Bermudian families who helped to create a sense of purpose and well-being for all blessed to live there.

Pond Hill

Across the street from my homestead lived Mr Vincent Tuzo, often referred to as Bermuda’s “Kite King.”  

We felt immense pride in knowing he was our neighbour.  Next door to us was Mr Calvin Harris who was one of Bermuda’s longest serving taxi drivers of T 1654; a quiet and strong man who left home early every day to serve his customers. Around the corner was Mr Wilfred Degraff, the founder of Byrdies famous beef/potato pies. We could smell them being baked every morning.

 Mr Ambrose Hill used his life experiences to encourage us to always make the right choices.  Mr. David ‘Chippo’ Augustus  Sr. would stop us when we were riding go-carts on Pond Hill and tell us if we kept it up we might find ourselves in the back of his hearse. 

Mr Nelson Bascome always stayed true to form and never left Pond Hill, demonstrating that it is not where you live but how you live that determines true character. Mr Artie Black, along with his sons, showed us that tradesmen are the salt of the earth.

Hermitage Road

Within the Hermitage Road community lived Mr. Richard ‘Comrade’ Lynch, a giant of the labour and political movement in Bermuda.  

He was also a master tradesman and, in his later years, became a great friend and mentor to myself.

Other great men included:

• Mr Kenny Paul, who stood up and was arrested for workers’ rights in 1965;

• Mr Frank Alves, who built a successful landscaping company from humble beginnings;

• Mr Manuel Desilva, one of Bermuda’s greatest farmers;

• Mr Kenneth ‘Sundown’ Daniels, whilst a UBP/OBA supporter,  always pulls me to the side to tell me what the PLP should be doing. He also encouraged me to get into the water truck business in 1989. Gotta love him;

• Mr Erskine Robinson was another of Bermuda’s Ambassadors in a taxi;  

• Mr Vincent ‘Drip’ Minors, a stevedore, personified strength through unity. 

His son and grandsons continue his ethic through their work with Wolves Sports Club; 

• Mr David Lopes, Mr Walter Brangman, Mr Raymond Ball, Mr George Burt & the Douglas/Boyles clan of Devon Springs Road — there are too many to mention here.

Heroes

The thrust of today’s message is this: often we debate who should be a National Hero and why. Regardless of who is picked, half the island gets upset. 

Personally, I do not need a government committee to pick any hero for one day for me. I was blessed to have grown up with ‘Heroes’ all around me daily.

They are all around you, too. Go Hug a Hero. 

“It’s a beautiful day in this neighbourhood, 

A beautiful day for a neighbour”

— Mister Rogers’ Neighbourhood

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