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UPDATE: Roy A. Hodges’ poetry will still be given to WE schools – Hon Fahie
"This will be a great way to honour him and the ideals he stood for even though he is no longer with us,” said Honourable Fahie. The First District Representative had announced in his report to member of his district and the territory at large recently, that the next book distribution to schools would have been one with a collection of poems written by Mr Hodge.
“We are all saddened by his passing but he has left a legacy for us to build on. We recognised him as a Cultural Icon that has set a strong foundation in these Virgin Islands.”
Honourable Fahie said that though his illness may have weakened his body it did not weaken his spirit as he was committed to playing a meaningful role through the arts in the VI.
He expressed condolences to the loved ones of Mr Roy A. Hodge on his passing on behalf of the residents of the Third District and his own family as they were related by blood.
See previous story posted January 30, 2014:
UPDATE: Roy A. Hodge hailed as a man of strong ideals
- will be remembered for his role as a VI cultural icon
WEST END, Tortola, VI – As word got around of the passing of Mr Roy A. Hodge aka Shaggy, persons close and otherwise could not say a word about him without mentioning his contributions to the cultural ideals of the Virgin Islands.
For quite some time Mr Hodge was battling the dreaded disease, cancer, something that he was not shy about. His condition had resulted in him being hospitalised recently but unfortunately it took his life. He died yesterday afternoon January 29, 2014 while a patient at the Peebles Hospital.
He was said to have been conscience that he was losing the battle and he close family had granted him his wishes to be with those whose lives he had impacted in some way or the other and vice versa.
Grandmother values
One such person was Ms Gwendolyn Blyden-Rubaine who told this news site that it was she along with other loved ones were summoned to his bedside the night before his passing. She recalled with many emotions her closeness with Mr Hodge as she said they shared a lifetime relationship. “We had so much in common, we had the same ideals in many was as we both grew up in a grandmother headed home,” she reflected.
Time and circumstances had separated them for a number of years but on her recent return to the Virgin Islands Ms Blyden-Rubaine immediately led a movement to assist in the raising of funds to assist in offsetting his medical expenses. A one-time event had seen her being successful in reuniting the 1970’s Youth Choir of the Zion Hill Methodist Church and raising some much needed cash.
But it was at that event that persons were moved with emotion as Mr Hodge chose not to plea for further assistance for himself but rather for others who may not necessarily have had medical challenges but rather were struggling to make it through life on a daily basis.
A heart for his community/people
“I don’t want people to run and rally around because it’s Roy, just look around the community and see where you could lend a hand,” Mr Hodge had said as he made a call for the establishment of a fund to assist persons in the West End community.
Mr Roy A. Hodge was a revered member of the West End, Tortola community who will also be remembered for these words, “Every day we get up in this community and there are people, they might not have cancer, but they have many problems that we can contribute towards helping them to overcome and make our society better and nobody have nothing to say or a hand to reach out and to help.”
He had called for the establishment of a group to raise funds to be used in the community. “This fund must be there, not for people to buy a fancy car, but there are some among us who can’t pay their light bill on time, there are some among us who don’t eat on time, there are some among us who can’t fix their roof, who can’t cut their yard,” he had said.
A man of strong Political Ideological Ideals
While Mr Hodge would have written a number of books of poetry and short stories he will certainly be remembered as the ‘man on the stage’ meaning that he did not only write but recited and spoke his heart through his poetry.
One that remembers him that much was Mr Art Christopher. When called he was not at that time aware of Hodge’s passing and was saddened to hear the news.
Mr Christopher spoke of Hodge as a man of strong Political Ideological ideals. He said that Hodge was an ardent member of the African studies club where he was very committed to educating persons on their history.
“He was an elder in the community and used his poetry to express his African consciousness. He was a man with strong political ideological ideals which he brought out in his poetry. He was a community activist,” noted Mr Christopher.
Mr Hodge was credited as one of the few to forerunners on the poetry scene and was very instrumental in encouraging the keeping alive many such activities.
We will continue the fight
Being a cancer survivor, losing a brother to the disease was not easy for President of the BVI Cancer Society Ms Gloria Fahie. She said that she knew that despite the disease has taken the body of Mr Hodge she is convinced that it did not break his spirit nor take his soul.
Ms Fahie was among the last persons to shower Mr Hodge with sincere love and compassion shortly before he drew his last breath. “When I got there to be with him today (yesterday) he was comatose and while he couldn’t respond to me I am absolutely sure he was hearing me,” she said.
“But I promised him one thing and that is that I would continue the fight with every string in my body for as long as I am alive. I know that he heard me and that is what he wanted to hear from me. His spirit was never broken despite his condition.”
See previous story posted January 29, 2014:
Mr Roy A. Hodge passes
WEST END, Tortola, VI - The Virgin Islands has just lost yet another of its valued sons in the person of Mr Roy A. Hodge.
President of the BVI Cancer Society Ms Gloria Fahie has confirmed that Mr Hodge succumbed at the Peebles hospital earlier today.
Mr Hodge had been fighting cancer for sometime. At the time of his death he was surrounded by close family members.
Our heart goes out to his family, relatives and close friends.
Further details to follow.
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31 Responses to “UPDATE: Roy A. Hodges’ poetry will still be given to WE schools – Hon Fahie”
dark
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please.........roy 2000
my good friend you have gone but will never be forgotten. RIP until we meet again
P.S. Don't know if he ever got a chance to meet Ras Bobby I believe that could have helped.
You were always an encouraging force, fierce competitor and debater.
Rest in peace my brother.