A Vigilance, East Coast Demerara vendor collapsed and eventually died after suffering a heart attack while making her way into the Vigilance Magistrate’s Court on Friday.
Dead is Gloria Thomas-McLean, 58, of Vigilance, who was a mother of five.
Gloria’s husband, Sidney McLean said that he was told by his wife’s son that she collapsed while climbing the stairs of the court building. “She didn’t even make it into the courtroom,” Sidney said. He explained that his wife had accompanied her son to the court around 9.30 am for a case the police had against him.
This newspaper was informed that Gloria complained that she was not feeling well before her collapse. Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) were summoned after the woman collapsed and they administered oxygen to the woman but she did not regain consciousness. Stabroek News was told that the EMTs were aided by the police to make attempts to resuscitate the woman but all attempts proved futile.
Gloria was then taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where she was pronounced dead on arrival.
Sidney told this newspaper that Gloria had a heart condition and that she often had to visit the doctor and take prescription medication for her condition. He explained that his wife was an athlete during her younger years before she developed a heart condition. She eventually became a vendor but was advised by her doctor to stop working.
According to Sidney, he constantly advised his wife to avoid overworking herself but she didn’t listen. He added that on the morning she died she woke up and picked cherries before washing clothes and then left to accompany her son to court. He later received a call while at work and was told of her collapse.
He said that he was devastated by the passing of his wife of over a decade. The heartbroken man noted that it was the second close death within weeks.
