Palacio on life support; flies home tonight
He is a true Belizean hero, a cultural icon whose journey from Barranco Village to international musical stardom was as dramatic as any rags to riches story appearing on the silver screen. But tonight Andy Palacio is in trouble, the kind of trouble from which there is usually only one exit. Tonight, we have the latest update from his family.
Loretta Palacio, Family Spokesperson
“Everybody has a mission and when God knows that your mission is complete…so if Andy’s mission is not complete, we will be talking to Andy again so we just have to trust in God, he’s a good God and that is where we are at at this point.”
Tonight Belizeans at home and abroad are preparing for the worst as this afternoon the family of Andy Palacio confirmed that doctors can do nothing more for the musician. Palacio was placed on life support Thursday night and will be flown home by air ambulance tonight and admitted to Universal Health Services.
The forty-seven year old singer and songwriter collapsed on Tuesday in Belmopan and on Thursday, his cousin and President of the National Garifuna Council, Michael Polonio accompanied a critical Palacio by air ambulance to the United States where additional neurological tests had been scheduled to determine the precise cause of Andy’s condition.
Yasser Musa, President, NICH
“They were to go to Chicago but they had to stop in Mobile Alabama because there was a critical emergency as it related to his health and so now we are waiting for this two daughters to come from New York to go to Mobile, meet with Mike and have a consultation with the medical personnel to make a determination as to what is the future.”
Word of Andy’s fate quickly spread to friends and fans today. President of the National Institute of Culture and History Yasser Musa today called on the public to offer their support to Palacio’s loved ones.
Yasser Musa
“The children is what we need to remain focussed on, that is my consideration. The family of Andy Palacio is what is important. We have to remain strong and we have remain determined that whatever comfort we can give to the children of Andy, we will do so and do so with our love because he is our hero and he deserves no less.”
At four-thirty this afternoon, the Palacio family addressed the nation at a press conference in Belize City.
Loretta Palacio
“On behalf of Andy’s family I would like to say thank you, a big thank you for everybody who has been outpouring with support and prayers via the internet, the phone calls, it’s really been overwhelming, handling getting Andy out, last night and plus today, people just showing love and affection. We ask that everybody continue to pray and that will keep us close together as a people because Andy is loved by so many people.”
There is still no definitive determination of exactly what struck Andy Palacio down but doctors in Belize and the U.S. continue to assess his medical condition. A mass has been planned for Andy Palacio for tomorrow January nineteenth at St. Martin’s DePorres Church in Belize City.
Rafael Martinez, Friend
“I would personally like to extend an invitation to everybody to come out, to come out and support in solidarity. Pray that our national hero, our brother, our father, our friend gets better, get well as quickly as possible.”
Adrian “the Doc” Martinez collaborated with Palacio in the Garifuna Collective. Today he used song to ask God to give Andy health and strength.
Adrian “the Doc” Martinez
“I would like people to remember Andy by being a person willing to give of himself to help everybody else. I am sure he would like me to step to the forefront and do the work because we had had so many discussions, myself and him. Right now I’m at U.B. and I’m studying and that’s something he has recognized with me and he tried to keep me as close to possible to him and he had spoken to me about that already you know, he want me to step to the plate as well and to move the music as we go along. So if he’s unable to do it, then I guess I will have to pick up the slack.”
Yasser Musa
“Just last year we saw the phenomenal rise of Watina and how we became overwhelmed with joy as Andy Palacio showed us that Belize is a great place, not because of politics, not because of ethnicity but because of culture.”
“We must be prepared for the worst but we must never forget that it is the artist, the musicians, the crafts people, the writers, the poets, that make us who we are.”
Reporting for News Five, I am Janelle Chanona
The Prime Minister has assigned Cabinet Secretary Bobby Leslie to coordinate bringing Andy home and the Government has and will continue to assume all financial costs of his medical care. 2007 was an amazing year for Andy as he received the Order of Meritorious Service from the Government of Belize, was named UNESCO Artist for Peace and earned the coveted WOMEX Award at the World Music Expo for his breakout album Watina.
