By Mia Anthony
The daughters of the late Constable Annette Abel, the policewoman who was struck and killed at a Beterverwagting roadblock on Thursday, took time out from their mourning to share some fond memories of their mother.
Although the circumstances that would bring their mother’s life to an end were unexpected, the pair, Abigail and Alison, are very grateful to have had a parent who was loving, supporting, and just a joy to be around.
Constable Abel while being remembered as the favourite aunt, most helpful coworker, and a vibrant personality, was mostly acknowledged as a mother with immense passion and love for her kids and grandkids.
Alison Abel told the Sunday Stabroek that her mother was someone who always pushed and tried to motivate and uplift those around her.
“She was the one to always bring the family together. She would say let us have a family reunion or let’s go on dinner dates or a family get together.” She added that her mother was a woman of strong faith, always encouraging her and her siblings to go to church. “She would always tell us to find time for God.”
Meanwhile, Alison remembers her mom for being a woman of discipline and standards which were especially enforced when it came to her and her siblings’ education.
‘Upon completing secondary school, I never knew what I wanted to pursue professionally in the future, but my mom applied for me to go to CPCE.” Nearing tears, Alison shared that her graduation from the college will be in a few days, as she lamented, “She’s not here to witness that moment.”
Alison also reminisced on her childhood, “My mom was someone who always tried to make sure that we were comfortable, when she goes shopping, she would always buy stuff for me and my sibling.”
Constable Abel was remembered by many as everyone’s favourite aunty or colleague, Alison continued, “Everyone knew her and everyone had respect for her.” She recalled times where drivers who were friends of her late mother would stop to tell her about the times when her mother would have helped them if they found themselves in sticky situations.
“I never expected it to go down like this. The day that it happened, I was at work and I wanted to go to Mahaicony to be with my siblings because the entire week I was feeling down and something told me, ‘Alison, go home and see your mom.’”
With her intuition’s constant intrusion coupled with the feeling of something being wrong, she went home to her mom’s house, sharing the last moments she spent with her before the unfortunate incident. “She had just come back from shopping and she was showing me what she had bought.”
That evening, she was awakened by the sound of her cell phone ringing and when she answered, it was her sister Abigail, telling her of what had just occurred that Thursday evening.
“I jumped up ran out my room and went to tell my stepfather what happened. He jumped in a truck and we made our way there.”
She recalled that as she made her way over to her mother, she tried to keep herself as calm as possible. “I started feeling weak.” When she arrived at the police station, her mother’s body was still lying there. “When I got there my cousin was there and she shared the news with me that my mother had passed.” Alison remembers not being able to face her mother’s lifeless body, as she was weak, in shock and going through the motions of trying to grasp what had really transpired.
Meanwhile, elder daughter Abigail, remembered her mother as a kind, cheerful and committed parent who was always there for her and her siblings. She described her mother as both the provider and protector. Abigail who is also a police detective by profession, credits her mother for helping to guide her on her career path.
“She was my role model, my backbone, my number one supporter. She taught me important life lessons. She is responsible for the woman I am today and losing her in such a way is unexplainable.”
The Sunday Stabroek also spoke with one of her coworkers who shared that Constable Abel “was more than a joy to be around. She had a way about her, an unmatched aura.”
Another shared that working alongside the late officer was an honour.
“To know her was to love her; she was always helpful. If you didn’t have something she was always willing and ready to give”.
The policewoman who tragically lost her life due to a speeding drunk driver was a member of the Guyana police Force for 16 years and had remarried just two weeks prior.
The accident occurred on Thursday, November 16, when a speeding drunk driver rammed into the traffic cones, hitting her as well another colleague while they were conducting a roadblock exercise.
The daughters of the late constable are hoping that the law takes its course in providing justice for their now late mother.
