Rochelle and Lawrence Get Engaged; O.Y.E. Provides the Ring
It is the season of love, and one couple’s story may help us all appreciate a dedicated and committed partner by our side. The love birds were making plans when disaster struck. But, now with their dreams of marriage still alive, they entered an online competition sponsored by Channel Five’s Open Your Eyes. Their story was chosen as the winner and today they visited J.E.C. where Lawrence Augustine “put a ring on it”. News Five’s Paul Lopez has the story.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
Thirty-one year old Rochelle Steven was diagnosed with a form of cancer while preparing for her engagement and wedding. So she and her partners of two years, Lawrence Augustine, had to put a pause on their wedding and engagement plans to focus on medical bills.
Lawrence Augustine
Lawrence Augustine, Prize Winner
“Bway dah mih wah rough journey, but I mek up my mind that I mih done eena it, so I just continued drive on to the levels ah we she deh now. So, I decide my mind that she wah be the one.”
Stevens is now in remission after months in treatment. And today, she alongside her partner visited J.E.C. and Company Limited in Belize City to pick out an engagement ring.
Rochelle Stevens, Prize Winner
“We had plans we wanted to do and then we couldn’t, because when this all started we had to do blood test. We had to pay hospital bills. He had to do treatments. Dah mih just wah big fight. So, we couldn’t do it. We wanted to, but when that happened we had to put that on pause.”
Stevens was given the option to choose any engagement rings from J.E.C.’s selection. She decided on a gold diamond ring with a pretty price.
Rochelle Stevens
Rochelle Stevens
“Dah nuh actually like a pick and choose, but I just set my eyes pan dah one deh and I liked that one deh.”
Now finally, Mr. Augustine was able to take that next step towards marrying the woman he says he hopes to spend the rest of his life with. The online competition that the couple won by telling their story was launched by Open Your Eyes and sponsored by J.E.C. We spoke to sales representative Krystal Armstrong.
Krystal Armstrong
Krystal Armstrong, Teller/Sales, J.E.C.
“It is very touching in many ways, because you know people are struggling and they want to give. But financially it is not possible. So we just try to do the best we can. People are struggling in their homes and some men would want to give their partner so much more. So if we have that to give, we will give and just put a smile on everybody’s face that wants to do something for their partners and loved ones.”
Stevens and Augustine says their next moves are to go on with their day to day life, while they plan their wedding.
Rochelle Stevens, Prize Winner
“Deh have people weh she deh meet deh hero. But, I nuh truly believe it as a hero, I see it as a God sent, like God sent this person to me. When I watch a lot of different types of relationship, he knows I have bad temper, bad ways, and through everything, he nuh give up, he nuh step aside, he nuh seh, you know what this dah it, you have to go. He just really had patience and still has patience with everything we do.”
Lawrence Augustine, Prize Winner
“When I get fih meet miss Rochelle, I notice that yeah she dah the person fih me, the person eena my life. So, I decide fih throw mih line and see how far I could come, and so far, me and she deh together now.”
Reporting For News Five, I am Paul Lopez.
