BASSETERRE, St.Kitts (Friday 12th February 2021) The late 19-year-old Jamarni ‘Marni’ Stevens of St. Peter’s-a member of the St.Peter’s Football Club- has been remembered and saluted for his academic, personal and religious attitude during the span of his young life.
In delivering his eulogy on Tuesday 2nd February 2021 at a service held at the St. Peter’s Play Field Dr. Christine Walwyn, a lecturer at the Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College (CFBC) applauded him as being an “accomplished football star” and an individual who has “left behind a legacy that we can shoot for the stars and achieve anything we want.”
“Passionate”, “loyal” and “ambitious” are said to be “a few of his core qualities that he would be remembered by.”
According to Dr. Walwyn, having transferred from the hospitality division at CFBC, “it was at Office Administration and Management “where he think he found his footing and had begun to make a mark of distinction.”
It was shared that his love for sports emerged at the Deane-Glasford Primary School (formerly St. Peter’s Primary) where he took part on track and field and football.
“It was clear that he had an undeniable passion for football and registered under the St.Peter’s Football Club and joined grassroots. This was the beginning of his dreams. However, those dreams could never be realized without God. The family’s daily morning devotions always included quoting verses from the Bible,” she said.
Dr. Walwyn highlighted that Stevens found his favorite verse being that of John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.”
“Marni’s personality was so unique that persons would express that he was the kind of person who would always be there to lend a helping hand in any way possible. One could call on him at any time and they never received a frown on his face,” she expressed.
Speaking more about the his kindness, she went on to say: “His mother gave her entire support financially, emotionally, spiritually and physically so much so that she started a second job at the Caribbean Cinemas in 2011 just to make sure that she could provide for her children’s needs but what was so unbelievable was the fact that Marni would visit the cinema every weekend not to watch the movie or play games but to spend time helping his mom. He created his own work routine at the cinema as if management employed him which included being her security as she performed her duties and giving a helping hand when it was time to clean. Everyone at the cinema fell in love with Marni.”
Stevens is remembered for having often spoken to his mom about dreams of becoming an international football star.
Dr. Walwyn told also that as his friends recalled during their lunch hour breaks at high school [Washington Archibald High], “they would gather at the block joking around where everyone would be laughing expect Marni…not even a smile would appear and that was how he got the [nick]name ‘Nar Laugh’. He would then try to throw a smirk then boom back to his straight face.”
Additionally, she highlighted: “He was already being counted among the [CFBC] students who was on the way from graduation at the end of the semester. A quick poll to lectures asked to give their impression of him all revealed that he was a happy young man. Always smiling at his first response, quite different from the ‘Nar Laugh’ demeanor spoke about earlier.”
Stevens was pronounced dead at the Joseph N. France General Hospital on Wednesday 6th January 20201 after collapsing on the St. Peter’s Play Field during a team training session that night.
His burial took place at the Springfield Cemetery in Basseterre.