Thomas family left with mixed emotions

Relatives of Gregory ‘Vex’ Thomas say that they have mixed emotions about the final moments before their relative’s death.{{more}}

Thomas died at the Canouan airport while waiting to be airlifted to mainland St Vincent after being involved in an incident last Thursday, August 5.

His mother, sister and girlfriend are of the view that, while they fully understand the emotions of the family of the missing pilot, they contend that their loved one was left to suffer.

Speaking to SEARCHLIGHT last Saturday, Veronica Thomas, mother of the deceased, made it clear that she was unhappy with what took place during her son’s final moments alive.

“While my son was there suffering, they were looking for the pilot,” Thomas said.

The distraught mother said that she was waiting at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital for her son to arrive, when she got the news that the plane that was to have air lifted her son had vanished.

Thomas, who was accompanied by her daughter Cheryl Findlay, told SEARCHLIGHT that when they inquired, they were simply told that the authorities were dealing with one matter at a time.

“In that case, had they tried to get him up, he would have survived, but they left him there to die,” she said, adding that at least four hours had passed.

Findlay, sister of the deceased, was also of the opinion that her brother would have survived had an alternative arrangement been made and he was able to receive medical attention.

She said that based on conversations that she was having with her brother’s girlfriend, Denise Lewis, Gregory had begun experiencing pain in his chest, “and he was saying that he was feeling like blood was in his chest.”

She was also critical of the medical staff present, saying that based on her experience, it did not appear that her brother was being properly attended to by the medical staff present at the scene.

Despite the feelings of rage, Findlay was sympathetic towards the family whose loved one vanished with the aircraft.

She said that she was saddened by the news that the plane had vanished. She said when she heard about the plane, she became sad because she said she knew that there was another life lost.

“I feel really bad because we know that the plane was going down for my brother,” she said.

“Some people would say that if it wasn’t for my brother, he (the pilot) would have been alive today,” she added. (DD)