Four blind in one family - COVID makes life harder for struggling clan

Viris Lynch, the 63-year-old blind mother who resides with her three blind daughters and her husband in Crowder district, Grange Hill, Westmoreland, is once again making a public plea for assistance as the family is now faced with serious challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lynch went blind several years ago after being affected by a rare eye disease, and this disease also affected her youngest daughter Vanessa Baker, who lost her sight at age 14 while still going to high school. Lynch's eldest daughter Shanelle Baker then lost her sight in 2015, followed by her second daughter Veneisha Baker, now 29, who lost her sight in 2017.

Lynch told THE WEEKEND STAR that their lives have been impacted even worse since the novel coronavirus came to Jamaica in March.

"Mi thank all di people dem who reach out an help wi inna di past, an THE STAR newspaper mek it possible fi me get a bed and floor inna mi house. But dis yah coronavirus come mash up everything," Lynch stated. "Everything fi wi is jus hand to mouth yah now, because mi husband is di one who use to go out and bring een something, but all a dat stop yah now because him affe a stay out right tru di days dem yah now an tek care a me and him daughters due to the corona."

Trying to run a little shop

Lynch said that Shanelle is trying to run a little shop at the front of the yard, in which she sells tissue, soap, polish, sanitiser, fabric softener and detergent.

"But dat very slow, because wi dont have the money fi buy di stock dem," said Lynch. "Right now, mi have three granddaughters a go a school and dem also in need of help fi get tablet and other schools tings, and mi a pray fi someone come along fi assist dem because mi don't know when dem too may lose dem sight."

Derrick Baker, Lynch's spouse, and the only adult member of the home who can see, told THE WEEKEND STAR that it is very difficult for him as only he is caring for the women, but he said that he will not give up on them.

"Things was much better when mi did have mi little motor bike an COVID neva did deh bout, but since di bike mash up and COVID come, things get very bad. But mi jus haffi do what mi haffi do, because at di end a di day, a mi family dem an mi love dem very much," Baker said.

Lynch said the family is in need of financial assistance, especially since the household has mostly women, and they are sometimes in need of special items.

Persons wanting to assist Viris Lynch and her family can contact them at 876- 866-2164/ 876-284-1742/ 876 826-3960.