Mom: ‘He lived life to the full’

The heartbroken mother of a talented young footballer who died this week has spoken of the deep pride with which she will remember her son.

Akanke Simmons told the Bermuda Sun that her 24-year-old son, Jahi, lived life to the full and always looked out for his family.

The Somerset Trojans player passed away peacefully at Lahey Hospital in Boston on Wednesday after suffering complications from a rare congenital stomach defect he had since birth.

His mother, who was at his bedside in the US when he died, told us in an exclusive interview: “A lot of people will talk about how young Jahi was when he died. But I want people to know that he lived such a full life in that short time.

“He lived more in his 24 years than some people who die at the age of 80.

“He touched so many lives and will never be forgotten. We have had over hundred people drop by the house just to tell us what he meant to them.

“It is an honour to call him my son.”

For the last 10 years Jahi had lived with his two brothers, Ade and Atwa, and two sisters Talibah and Azhuna, along with their mother and father, Adim Butterfield, in Warwick.

Although Jahi and Talibah grew up in Somerset where they attended Heron Bay Primary School and the Spice Valley School.

Jahi went on to study at the Berkeley Institute before completing a plumbing course at Bermuda College and following in the footsteps of his father, Randolph Outerbridge, and his grandfather.

His 27-year-old sister Talibah told the Sun: “As a child he was quite shy, but he quickly grew out of that.

“I would always look out for him at school. I was like his bossy sister and he was my baby brother.

“He loved football and he loved to fish — those were his passions. 

“And he was always doing up bikes and racing them around the neighbourhood.

“The hard thing is he has always been there in my life. Ever since I was three I have always had someone to talk to and take care of. He was my best friend and all of a sudden he has gone.

“I will always remember him as a joker. I don’t think anyone else will be able to make me laugh like my brother did.”

Jahi had been receiving treatment at Lahey Hospital since his stomach condition first became apparent around six months ago.

And he flew out to Boston again two weeks ago with his mother for the second course of treatment.

However his condition deteriorated while he was in the US and he passed away on Wednesday morning with his mother by his bedside.

Mrs Simmons, who runs the Supriya healthy snack shop in Well Bottom, Warwick,  said: “We had such a close relationship.

“Jah was always such a deep thinker. He was way ahead of me in so many ways.

“For the last three summers he has been helping his three younger brothers and sisters with their homework for an hour each night.

“It was incredible to see how they improved with his help.

“It really made a huge impact on their school work.

“That was just the kind of man he was — always looking out for other people and trying to help them.

“He was my business partner at the store and he was my closest friend.

“We would just have a way of joking with each other. It was always a lot of fun with him around.”

Mrs Simmons flew back to Bermuda on Wednesday evening to be with the rest of her family in the wake of her son’s death.

She said: “Right up to the end Jah was laughing and joking with me.

“He was bossing me around, but taking care of me too.

“He would tell me I had to eat something when all I wanted to do was be at his bedside.

“I would break down in tears but he remained strong when we knew there was nothing more that could be done.

“There is obviously a great sense of loss because he has gone, but I feel more of a sense of gain because of what he brought to our lives as a family and to everyone else who knew him.”