A star-studded ‘Stand with Me’ concert has been arranged for this evening to help raise funds for the medical expenses of Monix Hetemeyer, the teacher who had to have her leg amputated in the aftermath of a car crashing into the restaurant where she was dining with a friend on the evening of February 20, in New Amsterdam, Berbice.
The concert will be held at 7 pm at the National Cultural Centre, and tickets are still available for purchase at the location this evening. The concert is being held to offset her medical expenses which are close to $1.6 million.
The event is expected to be one of motivation and encouragement and is packed with dances, songs, spoken word pieces, and various performers. Pastors will be there for those who may want to give their life to Christ. Some of the performers include Melissa Vandeyar, Saiku Andrews, Yonnick Adolph, Christina Richardson and WIST Dance Group.
According to Monix, one of her closest friends, Quaison Christian, floated the idea to hold a concert to assist with her finances back in March and a group of her friends formed a committee, and along with her, oversaw the arrangements. “He wanted to do something tangible. He just didn’t want to give money”, she stressed.
Pointing out that actions speak louder than words, Monix said, “I am really humbled and grateful.” She said sometimes when things happen friends say “sorry to hear about it” and move on, but her friends have stood alongside her with her family.
On February 20, Monix and a friend were at Big B’s Restaurant on Main Street, New Amsterdam when a car drove into its glass frontage, shattering it and injuring her. The 35-year-old New Amsterdam Secondary School teacher and part-time lecturer at the University of Guyana (UG), later had her leg was amputated due to the spread of an infection.
The woman who continues to remain positive said, “time heals all wounds” adding that she is still trying to be “self-efficient.” She has returned to UG online and will be back in the classroom at her secondary school on July 1.
In addition to her injury, Monix faced financial constraints as she explained that it was recommended by the Department of Education that she be paid for only two months with the other months given to her as no-pay leave.
“One would feel disappointed to know that I’ve lost a limb but in a time like this your welfare is not given priority… It’s not like I’m sick and at home, my leg was cut off. I heard that persons could have recommended full pay and why not? What would warrant full pay if not the loss of a limb?” she questioned.
“I have [medical] bills [in addition to her monthly bills], home therapy, someone helping to clean the house and I have to pay that person, so I’m spending money while not making money.”
Monix is known throughout Berbice as one of those teachers who is innovative and gives it her all. She had started the Teachers’ Initiative Online Programme to help engage students and support educators while schools were closed owing to COVID-19 restrictions.
