St Kitts and Nevis celebrates 40 Years of independence by honouring Unsung Heroes

Basseterre, St Kitts and Nevis: The twin-island Federation of St Kitts and Nevis remembers its unsung heroes during the month of September 2023, marking 40 years of independence on the 19th. It has been anticipated that the whole community will gather and remember its unsung heroes, who have given their all to safeguard and protect the nation.

As per various sources, on September 19, 2023 (Tuesday), the people of St Kitts and Nevis will celebrate 40 years as an independent nation. The nation will observe its symbolic milestone for the twin-island federation, and the month-long celebrations will include the recognition of the national heroes who have been integrally woven into the fabric of the journey to the independence of the country.

In this regard, a Facebook user named Coreentje Phipps shared the story of an unsung hero of St Kitts and Nevis – Ms Violet Prince “Vy”. She noted that in November of 2008, Ms Violet Prince “Vy” of Upper Cayon, St Kitts, tragically lost her son, Travon Francis, as a result of a violent attack on his life at a popular night club in Cayon. It was a tragic and violent blow to Vy’s family, as well as the Walwyn family, as their lives changed in an instant. It was widely felt that Vy would be unable to overcome the tragic loss of her son, that she would pine away and await her fate.

Instead, Vy put on her courage armour and faced the world, doing all she could to encourage other mothers steeped in pain from the violent loss of a child. Fifteen years later, Vy still speaks positively to others and doesn’t dwell on the negative, even as she has had to overcome trauma.

She generously shares her provisions with others and is a patriot at heart, renowned for participating in the annual Green Valley Festival and donning her creative independence hairstyles and outfits. Vy believes she is on this earth to uplift others, not pull them down. Violet Prince is one of my Unsung Heroes.

She further claimed that this month, she will be sharing brief stories of some of the unsung heroes in the local communities by highlighting the work they do for others and the courage they demonstrate in their service-oriented calling.

She stated that the unsung heroes will be featured on a Virtual Wall of Unsung Heroes at the end of September.

The Unsung Heroes:

A hero is regarded as a person noted for courageous acts or nobility of character. It is an honour to be regarded as a hero. Time and again, we’ve heard about empowered people in the local communities who use their access to resources, their far-reaching platforms or their vast life experiences to help others. They don’t get spotlighted at any black tie event, no plaque or award is given to them, nor is their work headlined on the nightly news, but something about their empowered journey and their ability to empower others earns them the respect of others, they are everyday unsung heroes.

Everyday heroes who walk among us in the native lands of St Kitts and Nevis, in the adopted homes away from their birth homes, or who encountered some unforgettable act of kindness during travels abroad make life worth living.