Autopsy concluded into death of TV journalist, Keith Swift
keith swift
The sudden death of TV journalist Keith Swift at age thirty has stunned the country. In life, his stories touched thousands as he came into your living rooms day after day in the evening news on Channel Seven. He earned the respect of many because of the signature style of reporting he developed over the past decade and for his hard work and fairness in an industry that is small but fiercely competitive. Swift was found dead at his home on Monday evening. He had not shown up for work that day and his roommate, Mark Bowman, found him dead after five o’clock. He was last seen alive on Sunday night at about nine o’clock. Today many were paying tribute to the tenacious and award winning journalist. News Five’s Marion Ali recaps the career and the personal side of the Keith Swift that few people knew.
Marion Ali, Reporting
The black bow placed on Channel Seven’s veranda on Albert Street today reflects the somber mood that work colleagues’ of Keith Swift are experiencing over his sudden passing. Keith’s first journalism encounter came at the age of seventeen as an intern from Saint John’s College to the now defunct Broadcasting Corporation of Belize. That was in 1998, and from then we at the BCB newsroom observed that Keith had a natural knack for reporting. He was a go-getter, always wanting to hit the pavement and find out what were on people’s minds on any given day. When the BCB was closed down by the PUP government in October of 1998, Keith sought employment at Channel Seven Television. He then left Belize for two years to further his studies and when he returned Keith resumed employment at Channel Seven, where he remained until his untimely death on Sunday, April nineteenth, 2010. His boss, Jules Vasquez, says this reporter who had so aptly produced in so many of his works, was a full package.
Jules Vasquez, Co-owner Channel 7
“Marion you’re in this business, you know that there are many stories that nobody wants to do for different reasons. The story might be too difficult or the story might be too simple, they might call the story simpleness, but Keith had absolutely no restraint whatsoever. He could do the most important, groundbreaking, ground shaking in the morning and be completely reloaded and prepared to adjust himself to the most trivial and light story in the afternoon. He was absolutely flexible, absolutely professional. You know this Marion, sometimes your director will give you an assignment and you dah like mein so and so can’t do that? And it’s reasonable, you might be overloaded with stories for whatever reason; he never once—and that incredible—he never once said “I noh want do dis story”. And you know that that is a singular thing. No matter how big or small or difficult or wake up dah mawning the story was because a lot of times you know you have to wake up three o’clock dah mawning to go and deal wid a story and so he was incredible in that regard, his work ethic was absolutely unreal. Dah noh nothing fi Keith do three packages a day and two inserts and write three more stories. The man is a machine.”
But aside from being a workaholic, Keith also had another side of him, a side many people didn’t know. But Channel 7 News Anchor, Indira Craig knew that part of him.
Indira Craig, friend of Keith Swift
“Keith was pretty much a loner. He pretty much lived a bit in isolation but a loving person, a funny person. He’s a little bit—he had a very different way of how he viewed the world but you were always certain to have a lot of laughs with Keith. He always took things and saw the funny side of it, and quite animated.”
For Channel 7 viewers with whom Keith had come in contact with either through work or otherwise, his death is surreal.
Michael, Knew Keith Swift
“Ih meet mi by Zenaida birthday right by homeless place deh by Extra House and ih tell me well bwai dah weh gone on dah weh yoh wah do now? I tell ah well I come yah come pick up wah two food weh Zenaida mi di give weh. And den me and he and Zenaida talk and Zenaida seh get wah lee hearing from di man so I tell di man well listen to dis, I noh really want my foot yoh know, I need my foot. So please put dis thing to dehn people dat ah need mi foot. Ih seh bwai I wah look into it of yoh.”
Linda Tillett, knew Keith Swift
“I dah one ah di person weh—I si cold seed pan me when dah report come out last night and I very sad. I know ih noh wah deh deh again, I wah mek sure ah goh dah ih wake.”
Charles Bradley, Knew Keith Swift
“I sell tacos five years eena dis park and Keith always come yah. Majority ah di people dehn. Even when di young man mi dead ova dead, he mi talk to me bout dat.”
Alice Bradley, Knew Keith Swift
“Ih pass and hail yoh and ih could hold wha conversation wid yoh and all ah dat. He was a nice person, dat’s all I could seh. I sorry to hear about his death.”
Marion Ali
“What about his reports?”
Alice Bradley
“We had no problem hearing what he gave up to Channel 7 to report. He was alright.”
Keith Swift is survived by his parents, Robert Swift, his mother, Gretta Mossiah nee Goldson, and several siblings. His funeral has been tentatively planned for Thursday in Belmopan. Marion Ali for News Five.
Late this evening, it was confirmed that Swift died from cerebral hemorrhaging, which is bleeding in the brain. The cause is unknown and according to the pathologist, Dr. Mario Estradabran, suicide was ruled out. Channel Five joins his family, friends and fans in celebrating the life and work of Keith Swift.
It is so sad to see such a vibrant young man gone in an instance. Keith was such a enthusiastic young man who would go beyond his call of duty and despite the challenges placed before him he never gave up. Keith you will be dearly missed and just to let you know we all loved you and your memories will live on in our hearts.i know that Our Heavenly Father has now welcomed you into his presence and i pray that he keeps you their as you have now found peace and and joy in his presence. As you look and smile down on us we just want you to know that your legacy will live on. We miss you!!!!!!!!!!
My condolences goes out to the Swift family .
our deepest sympathy to the family
R.I.P Keith Swift!
People need to learn how to take better care of themselves, perhaps a trip to Mr. Swift doctor could have helped saved his live. It was possible that his blood pressure was too high and untreated high blood pressure is a major preventable cause of brain hemorrhages. Bleeding in the brain is a serious thing sometimes the Symptoms may develop suddenly or over time. They may progressively worsen or suddenly appear.
Let his memories live on.
This is too sad. Rest in peace, Keith.
May keith R.I.P
he will be sadly miss by freinds,family,and also news vewiers
we will miss seeing him doing his storyies or reports
Our condolances goes out to every one who knew him and also family
May he go with God
R.I.P knew him shortly, but good coworker at BCB sincere sympathy to his family and media friends in Gods company
R.I.P. Keith. You are with the better of us now. You will be missed.
R.I.P Keith. You were one hell of a person I never knew you but you got my attention by moving up that step to my dream. “Dat le black boy on the news” Keith. I am so sorry that you had to go. I will surely miss seeing you everyday.
I hope that many young men use you as and example to their life. Not because you’re black you should stay at the back. I can clearly see that you had said NO! To that saying.
You inspire my life you make trying look easy. The person that gave you that first trying out as a TV journalist is one hell of a proud Belizean person today. Thanks Mr. Unknown person I bet you have seen something in him that no other person could have seen, you have given a young black Belizean man a chance and he have use up every inch of it. Thanks Keith you pave a way of trust for young BLACK people of Belize.
You will forever be my example. “Dat le black boy on the news” Keith.
Kenny Jacobs & Teens Belize extends its most sincere condolences on this sudden passing…Rest in Peace…Keith
MY CONDOLENCES GO TO THE FAMILY OF MR KEITH SWIFT,MAY HE REST IN PEACE.
Keith was a fine young man who was very proud of his country and its people. He was an excellent journalist who had a sixth sense for news and connecting people to events that are important in their lives. This is a tremendous loss for journalism in Belize and a terrible loss to his family and friends.
My condolence to keith Swift family, what a great loss.
R.I.P keith belizean brother.
onw thing that concerns me is that the doctors can’t find the cause so it means the doctors could have never save his life if, if they would have found him still breathing. so we lack of either experience with the doctors or they really don’t know the vast problems that they can treat here in belize. Many people die here because the ” doctors ” don’t know what’s the cause we have to go across the border most of the time to find help and we get it. It’s a pity that we don’t know what cause his death apart from the blood hemorhage. The nation is laready missing you keith but we won’t forget you since your the first journalist/ reporter to die in the jewel suddenly.
that was my uncle that was my moms brother why thats all i can say
It is one of the greatest loss for the media industry in Belize,he was a young vibrant, articulate,and passionate journalist,he was one of the best.May Jehovah continue to be with his 7news family and especially his family in Belmopan.I KNOW EXACTLY HOW HIS MOM IS FEELING, I HAVE LOST TWO SONS AND YOU NEVER GET OVER IT YOU JUST GOTTA PRAY AND ASK JEHOVAH TO GIVE YOU THE STRENGTH TO COPE WITH IT AS TIME GOES BY.
it’s obvious that his friends believe he was like no other. may his memories live on
Who was my Uncle doctor I know it’s too late to be asking this question, I was very angered by his death he was gone for a whole day didn’t show up to work, an none think to contact him it’s all negligence, an he was the kind of person that never missed work or was late, wouldn’t it be obvious to check up on him” I still have alot of unanswered questions due to his death, its not fair that he died so young an so much more to Achieve” I’m sure whatever crappy medicine he was prescribed by A Belizean doctor was not right for him” even if he was to feel sick from not eating before taking his medicine an drinking” an energy drink it shouldn’t have had such an affect on him to kill him…..it’s bullshit, my mother died few years after him” she couldn’t live knowing she has to bury her own child he was always their for her I lost my mother and uncle, few years apart”, keith should still be here” I will miss him everyday” in closing I want to say” when he past out he was found on the floor he had bleeding to the brain he banged his head when he fell, an that did major damage to what he was experiencing” before he past an if his roommate was there, he probably could have saved him in time to rush him to the hospital, it’s too late to think about the what if’s it’s not fair, one day I will know the truth how he died I’m certain the medication he took for his medical health, played a huge part n his death……