Family members, friends, and mourners across Saint Lucia gathered in Anse la Raye on Thursday to say goodbye to Joy St Omer nearly one month after she was killed.
The 24-year-old, who was gunned down in Marigot on May 20, was remembered for her quiet spirit, gentle demeanour and remarkable nature.
Hundreds of mourners filled The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary R.C. Church where the service for St. Omer was held, to honour the life of an individual who was dearly loved.
Her life was captured beautifully through tributes, that highlighted so poignantly, just how wonderful St Omer was.
It also reminded mourners of how her life was callously taken, leaving behind a growing void.
“If love alone could have saved her, Joy would still be with us today. If prayers alone could have shielded her, she would have still been here. If tears could have brought her back, she would have never left us at all. The depths of our sorrow over her passing is immeasurable,” Cherry-Anne Smith said in her eulogy.
“Today we stand with hearts that are shattered. We come together not because we are ready to say goodbye but we must celebrate a life that touched so many,” she stated sadly.
She noted that St Omer’s death “should have never happened”.
“No family should ever have to bury a daughter; a life that was taken through the act of gender-based violence.”
She described St Omer’s death as “A cruel [and] senseless injustice that has ripped a hole in this family… While we mourn the future that was stolen from her… we also rise today to celebrate the beautiful life she lived and the love she shared so freely.”
St Omer’s spirit permeated the atmosphere on that solemn day. Shades of pink surrounded her casket and every area of the R.C. Church.
It was a beautiful send off but also an agonizing one. But one thing’s certain: she was loved.
“Your light will always shine; a glowing ember that never stilled, through the end of time, no matter what the future brings,” one tribute so aptly stated.