ALVIN HAYNES is at a loss to explain why his father 85-year-old Hubert Haynes drowned at Maxwell Beach, Christ Church, on Tuesday.
Describing his father, a retired architect and instructor at the Samuel Jackman Prescod Polytechnic, as very fit and a strong swimmer, he said he could only await the findings of an autopsy.
“He used to go to the beach three or four mornings a week at the beach opposite Golden Sands [Apartment Hotel]. He was even a member of the Miami Dolphins [a swim club that frequents Miami Beach],” said Alvin, a former Olympic triple jumper, who is now duty manager at Virgin Atlantic Airways.
Alvin described the events of that morning.
“Normally he goes with his brother, [who is] my uncle, and comes back around 7:30 a.m., but around 8:30 a.m. I still hadn’t seen him. So I called my uncle, who told me he hadn’t seen him all morning. That’s when I really got concerned,” he said.
Alvin said he had a bad feeling when he left home to go in search of his father and he soon confirmed the worst with his own eyes.
“I took a drive to the beach he frequents and took a quick look around but didn’t see him in the water. So I headed to Welches Beach and still didn’t see him. It was when I was on my way to Miami Beach that I saw a police car blazing past in the opposite direction,” he said.
Alvin said “something” told him to follow the police vehicle and when he did so, he ended up back at the first place he visited.
However, this time he was greeted by the sight of his father lying dead on the sand.
“This is a shock; but it is interesting that he died doing something he enjoyed doing – swimming. This is my only consolation,” he said.
Hubert Haynes resided at Fairholme Gardens, Maxwell, Christ Church. He leaves to mourn three sons – Alvin, Dr John Haynes and Jimmy Haynes – and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren. (CA)
