Saluche- cultural icon gone

HIS surname was Small, but Lucien “Saluche “ Small, was an entertainer who was able to give everyone he came across a big laugh. He died of a massive heart attack at his home at Dorsetshire Hill last Sunday.

That morning Saluche planned to repaint his house with his younger twin bothers Julian and Lloyd Small, but it was Lloyd who was the first to find Saluche lying dead on the floor.{{more}}

“It was around 9:50am and I was the first to arrive at the house and I thought it strange to see his jeep parked and the house locked up. I knew he wasn’t away because we had planned to paint the house. I heard no music or television sounds coming from the house and thought maybe Saluche was still asleep and knocked on the door.”

He continued, “After hearing no reply, I peeped through the window and saw Saluche on the living room floor with his hands clenched tight and then is when I realised something was wrong. My twin brother Julian and Culture Man who was helping us with a ladder then arrived at the house and I told them what I saw and we realised that Saluche was really gone.”

Lloyd told Searchlight that when they eventually got into the house it appeared as if Saluche was lying on his favourite couch and had attempted to get up but had fallen to the floor with a sheet wrapped around him. At the time Saluche was alone at home because his wife had gone away for the weekend to look after her ill father.

He said that the first person he called was Manager of Nice Radio, Douglas De Freitas. Saluche was the host of the Nice Radio Night Rider show. Lloyd then called the police, hospital and funeral home.

Lloyd said breaking the news to his other family members was not easy and everyone burst into tears, but he was astonished at the way in which his 94-year old mother handled the blow.

Lloyd said that when they eventually broke the news that Saluche had died of a heart attack she confessed that she felt as though a part of her had left before they ever mentioned it.

He said that his mother’s reaction to Saluche’s passing has been a tower of strength to the rest of the family. She never looked too distraught and only began singing and asked that some Psalms be read to her. He said that at one point she smiled and said “That joker is no longer with us…the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away.”

Reminiscing about his older brother, Lloyd said that he was a father figure to him after their father died in 1969.

He said Saluche was a trained Trade Unionist and although Saluche didn’t have an opportunity to study at a university he was extremely intelligent with a sharp mind.

He remembers Saluche who as a young man used to play table tennis, swim, box, play cricket and ride motor bikes. He said that Saluche was a man who traveled the world, doted on his second wife Helen and two adult daughters from a previous marriage.

“Saluche had great a laugh and great culinary skills. Like our family I know Vincentians would miss him, those of us who were lucky enough to meet him now realise that he was truly someone special,” Lloyd concluded.