Barbados’ football fraternity said farewell to their fallen hero today.
Hundreds of fans, family and friends turned out at the indoor complex of the Garfield Sobers Gymnasium to say goodbye to Sherlock ‘Nat’ Yarde, during an emotional memorial service.
Yarde, a long-serving football administrator and entertainment promoter, had passed away last week due to complications associated with diabetes. He was 55.
In a heart-felt sermon, Yarde’s brother Pastor Nigel Yarde told the congregation that his sibling had given much to people, football and entertainment, but that more importantly, he had also given his life to God a few days before taking his final breath.
“He made the right connection. He made the most important connection of all. He connected himself to God. And now he is looking down from a better place,” Yarde said.
During his 45-minute sermon, Yarde called his brother a true gift to humanity by virtue of his generous ways and strong friendship. “He was the people’s Sir. He was knighted by those in Barbados who knew him. He was the people’s minister of social care. He was our minister of poverty alleviation. He was a great friend. He was a great brother.”
President of the Barbados Football Association, Ronald Jones remembered Yarde as a football administrator ready to pull his own pocket and provide finance not only to poor footballers for equipment, but to the association itself, so as to ensure national teams could perform overseas duty.
The service was attended by Minister or Tourism, Richard Sealy, former Minister of Tourism and Yarde’s former Parliamentary representative, Noel Lynch, as well as MP for St Michel North East, Mia Mottley, MP for the City, Patrick Todd and Senator Santia Bradshaw. (BA)
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