And Lourdes Wade Hall's Aunt, Anna Banner Guy, is expressing her gratitude for the lives of both 44 year old Lourdes and her father, 67 year old Eduardo Wade. Banner Guy and Lourdes Wade Hall were family but even more than that they shared a deep and lasting friendship and countless joyful memories.Â
Banner Guy says that both Lourdes and Eduardo made a tremendous impact in the lives of their family as well as through their commitments to public service.Â
Today in Belmopan, she told us about the shock, denial and disbelief she experienced in the wake of the catastrophe that claimed the lives of her family members. Â
Anna Banner - Aunt & Sister of the Deceased
"Well first I was in disbelief, I couldn't believe that this was happening to our family and we try to get confirmation to here that it's true, I think I'm still in shock really and I believe her sisters and her brothers are in more shock than I am. This is tremendous loss to the entire family but especially to Justin because Justin is the baby of the family and he lost him mom. I don't even think that Justin really got over losing his mom to cancer and then now this is like a triple blow, to him. So the family is really extending all its support to Justin and ensure that we're with him physically, emotionally and spiritually during this time."
"Well the kind of person Lourdes is, she goes out of her way for her family in that she would do anything to extent support. For example, they only gave 2 invitations to the coast guard and she insisted that she is going to support her brother regardless. So I happen to be at the graduation also and I was sitting behind my brother in law, I just looked at him and really for a moment to reflect, I said how proud he must be to see his youngest son following in his footsteps and the level of impact that he has had on his family and so, it's a pity that it had to end that way. Lourdes, she's my niece but she is not only my niece, she is also my very close friend, she's like a sister, a confidant, she is one of the few persons that we would have in life that you know you can depend on. She is very objective; she is a real friend, sincere and wise council. We were very close, we do so many things together, we have travelled all over the country together and I still can't believe that is really happening."
"Eduardo was a well-respected father, husband but more importantly, is his role as the former assistant commissioner of police, he was well respected by all ranks in the police department and same level of respect he takes into his home and his community. For example, my husband is his younger brother and so even us, we basically stand to attention when Eduardo is around and that is how the police department treated him but that's not something that he got through fear or by through instilling fear, he got that through every repeated consistent practice of ensuring that his officers see that example is the way to really gain respect. This is a shock to the family, this is really horrific, it's a tragedy that we cannot prepare for adequately. We really have to just think about the impact that they have made, just not on family but on the community and by extension the country. They have both served tremendous to Belize, Lourdes is a, I call her a perfect blend between her mother who was so compassionate loving and kind and her father who was more militant and disciplinarian and that really produced a very strong character in Lourdes and with that she was able to manoeuvre and make relationships with so many different people and have the ability to communicate effectively so many different personality. The family is getting overwhelming support and thankful for it, we need it, and we're thankful for it."
The Wade family will host a joint funeral for Edwardo Wade, Lourdes Wade Hall, and Mayra Alcoser at a venue in Belmopan that has yet to be determined.Â
