Mother and wife of injured B.D.F. rushes to Barbados to be at his side

Andre Gabb

On Monday’s newscast we told you the tale of a Belize Defense Force Soldier attached to the Caribbean Defense Pact’s Regional Security System in Barbados. Warrant Officer Andre Gabb was stabbed to the heart by the conductor of a taxi service who was upset that foreigners come to his country and do what they like. Following the incident, Gabb’s Belizean friends cornered the suspect in a store and the police has since charged Jabarie King with causing serious bodily harm. This morning News Five spoke to Gabb’s mother and wife who were leaving the country to be by his side at the hospital in Barbados.

Bertha Gabb, Mother of Stabbing Victim

“Very, very, very shocked. I didn’t even cry because it was a shock to me.”

Jose Sanchez

“I was told that the reason why he survived was because he was in such good physical condition.”

Bertha Gabb

Bertha Gabb

“Probably, but I think it is prayers. Thousands of prayers have gone up for him. I think god was bombarded with prayers.”

Jose Sanchez 

“Is your intention to bring him home? What’s the full scope of the trip?”

Bertha Gabb

“Just to be, just to be with him; we won’t bring him back because we will be coming back on the second of June.”

Jose Sanchez

“Can you tell me how the B.D.F. has been assisting you with communication, financial wide since the incident occurred?”

Shelmadine Gabb

Shelmadine Gabb, Wife of Stabbing Victim

“I have been over the weekend properly informed by the commander, Mister Jones. He kept constant contact with the hospital and the doctors there and he informed me as to surgery on to how he progressed throughout Sunday. Whereby as to his condition in the hospital, I was informed right down to every little thing that happened…right down to his medication and everything. And then financially, the Barbados military are the ones seeing about the accommodations and the flight and B.D.F. assisted in getting the visa so I can fly out. The process was very quick and I went in with no trouble. I was hoping that it would have been a quick process and it was. I was very pleased with it. More than anything I really wanted to get to Barbados to see how my husband is doing.”

Jose Sanchez

“Has his condition improved any?”

Shelmadine Gabb

“This morning I spoke to Rene Montero—he has been keeping close contact with me also because he is one of my husband’s friends over there. He said that Andre has improved a lot and that he’s still not talking because he still has the tube down and they still keep him sedated throughout the day than he is awake. He says he did manage to talk to him and he told him that I am coming. He said that being that Andre cannot talk, he did manage to move his lips and he made out that Andre was worried about the kids. I guess if I was coming, he wanted to know if the kids would be ok. So yes he is aware; he is responding—not talking—but he is aware of what’s going on around him. I am hoping for a full recovery. He should be in there for a next, maybe a week or so, and I’m hoping for him to make a full recovery. He is strong and he is healthy so I’m hoping for the best.”

Gabb’s wife and mother will return to Belize on the second of June.