In Memory of Greta Charles

Greta Charles came to the US from Haiti 24 years ago, uneducated and without recourse. She was granted a domestic visa. In the time she was here, she taught herself English and got her CNA license. She took care of people who needed help even when she needed help herself. She married a man 40 years her elder and had twins with him, two boys. She suffered an abusive marriage where she was beaten regularly yet, she kept it to herself because she wanted to bring the daughter and the son she had left back in Haiti to the United States. She finally decided to leave her husband when he took her out by a lake and attempted to murder her. She survived and ran away. To punish her, the husband took her boys and left with them. She did not know how to defend herself, did not know that she could have used her abuse as a ground to keep her children. The court awarded custody to the husband who left to another state and told the kids their mother had abandoned them.

She was an avid church goer and loved to pray. She devoted herself in helping others.

Last year she was diagnosed with lung cancer with a good survival chance. She went through Chemotherapy and completed her sessions. She had no trace of cancer left. She, however, was battling a bad case of fibroids and she was bleeding profusely. On Friday August 18, someone finally convinced her to go to the hospital. The cancer came back, invaded her lungs, liver, and her major organs were failing. She had already lost too much blood and the only option was to put her on life support. The doctors were waiting for the two children whose name was on her emergency contact list. The son never showed up nor before, nor now. A few friends and family put money together to bring the daughter from Delaware to Delray so she could take the decision to take her mom off life support. She had to take the painful decision.

Greta passed today at 5pm. She left a daughter with the inability to pay for her burial, a son who abandoned her, and a pair of twin boys who do not know she existed.

They say that it matters the most when you don’t have and you give . How about when you don’t have and still give? Greta did just that. Whether you are Haitian or of any other nationality, you will admit that Greta deserves a decent burial. Please help with whatever you have and let her rejoice with the Almighty she loves so much knowing that her fellow humans cared for her.