Brothers Jimol Lewis, 12, and Jerome Wickham, nine, left the St Paul’s Anglican Primary School on Tuesday afternoon as normal schoolboys.
They however returned yesterday morning to a hero’s welcome from the teachers and students following Newsday’s exclusive front page story yesterday, which told of the courageous act of the two brothers who against all odds successfully delivered their baby sister Jada at their home St John’s Road, St Margaret’s Village, Claxton Bay in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Their aunt Tessa gave instructions to them over the cell phone. Their mother Desher Lewis had allowed them to see via the internet how babies were delivered. Dersher yesterday said her husband, who lives and works abroad, was proud of their sons and called them “his doctors”. Her husband is due to return home soon.
Surrounded by principal Hyacinth Baccus and Jimol’s teacher, Shawn Harding and Stephen Dinnoo, Jerome’s teacher in the principal’s office yesterday, the brothers seemed lost for words at their new found fame.
Jimol said, “Everyone coming up to us saying that they saw us on papers. We feel happy.” It was the video on the birth of a baby that prepared them for the occasion. Jimol added, “We were allowed to watch it and at 1.10 am (Sunday) she was born. We always wanted a baby sister.”
Jimol told Newsday, he often read stories for his sister while she was in her mother’s womb.
“I promised her that I will take care of her. She is our baby.”
At school yesterday, they were singled out for praises during morning assembly.
“We were called to the court yard and the students applauded us. We are proud and if we have to we will do it again.”
Baccus was not surprised that Jimol and Jerome were able to show such maturity at a time when it was needed most.
Baccus said, “I am pleased to see that they did what we at the school have been teaching them all the time, to be supportive. Yes, you have problems, but you rise above it and do what is needed.”
The heroic deeds of the brothers have put them in contention for “Student of the Year 2011” Baccus told Newsday.
She went on, “We feel really proud. This is what I expect of students at St Paul’s Anglican. They are heroes of the school.”
Dinnoo also told Newsday that Jerome did inform him about the birth of his sister.
He added, “They know a little more than the average boys and that is probably because they like to explore things. The average child at that age will be scared to deliver a baby, they told me they were not.”
Jerome told Newsday he wants to be a doctor while Jimol has his eyes set on a football career like his football idol Argentine Lionel Messi who plays for Spanish club Barcelona.
By Cecily Asson
Source: www.newsday.co.tt