Former GDF soldier honoured by U.S.

– saved bedridden patient, children from burning building

By Danielle Campbell

Many Guyanese living abroad make the news for all the wrong reasons, but Beverley Massay’s story is a shining example of bravery and courage that can be exemplified by all.

Massay, an overseas-based Guyanese, was recently awarded by the State of New York’s Home Care Association for saving the life of her 91-year-old bedridden patient, who suffers from dementia, and those of her patient’s four teenaged grandchildren.

Beverley Massay (left), her mom (centre) and her daughter

Massay’s sister, Esther Griffith, speaking from her office at the Guyana Public Service (GPSU) Credit Union on Hadfield Street, Georgetown, retold the story to Guyana Times International.

“She left for work early that morning, and when she arrived everyone was asleep. She went about preparing breakfast and so on, but then she realized that there was a fire in the building. Given her military background, she went into action, and was able not only to save herself but four other persons as well,” Griffith told this newspaper.

Massay’s story was featured in most of the city’s newspapers, including the Brooklyn Daily Eagle and the Caribbean Life, in November of 2010. In the articles, the former Guyana Defence Force (GDF) corporal told how she walked out of the building and screamed for help, but none was forthcoming.

Massay, reacting quickly, grabbed the patient from the bed, hoisted her out of the room, down the stairway and into her wheelchair in the lower flat of the building.

It was while she was outside that Massay remembered the woman’s grandchildren, and her noble thoughts spurred her to race back into the burning building to hurriedly shake the sleeping quartet to a state of consciousness.

“She is an ex-soldier and I think that is the reason she was able to react in the way she did, to go back in there and save those people, because everyone would have died. I am not only proud of her as a sister, but also as a Guyanese, too,” Griffith related.

According to reports from the Daily Eagle, the building was completely engulfed in flames in a matter of minutes. “When we were outside, I turned my patient so her back was to the fire and she wouldn’t see what was going on. I told her that we had come outside because it was too hot in the house and we had to come out to get a little breeze,” Massay was quoted as saying.

President of Partners in Care, Marki Flannery, said that health aide workers always go above and beyond the call of duty for families in their care.

However, he noted that Massay’s story took her to a whole new level in her dedication and commitment.

“We are pleased that Beverley has been honoured with the prestigious 2010 Home Health Aide Award, as her courageous rescue of an elderly patient and (that patient’s) family from a burning building literally helped save lives, making Beverley a true hero in every sense of the word,” Flannery disclosed.

According to newspaper reports, the fire was found to be electrical in origin, and was caused by a shoddy circuit which was blown in a power surge.

The award received by Massay is an annual presentation which recognizes a home health aide whose story provides a powerful example of hard work, dedication and caring that is known and valued in the profession. Most Guyanese are hopeful that stories like that of Beverley Massay’s are repeated the world over. HCA is New York State’s premiere home care association, representing more than 400 providers, individuals and associate members, who collectively serve thousands of New Yorkers. Partners in Care, a not-for-profit organization, is an affiliate of the Visiting Nurse Service of New York, the largest home healthcare agency in the nation.