Jamaica
This article was added by the user . TheWorldNews is not responsible for the content of the platform.

Man nearly loses hands in machete attack - Seeks help to do surgery

Christopher Perkins has gone from providing for his four children to begging for food and other basic items.

The 37-year-old lost the use of both hands after he was chopped by a man with mental challenges while he was helping a co-worker on June 13, 2019.

"I usually work with National Solid Waste Management Authority and do landscaping on the side, so I was in a good place where I could manage to take care of my children and provide for myself, but all of that just change suh," said Perkins. He said that on the day of the incident, he had just completed a day's shift when a co-worker asked him for a lift on his motorcycle to Duhaney Park, St Andrew, to pick up his vehicle from a mechanic.

"Mi drop him over there and when mi reach, the mechanic beg mi a drop down the road to pick up some tools. Mi drop him and sit down on the bike and then mi stand up beside a truck, and mi just feel a machete swing inna mi head back. Suh when mi tun 'round, him (the attacker) swing again and mi put up mi hand and block it and run off. Mi think it was a robbery, suh mi run off and tell di attacker say, 'See di bike there and the key in it'," he said.

"Him keep on a run mi down, and is a lady open har gate and say mi must run in. When mi a run towards the woman house, mi drop and him come over mi and offa mi head, suh mi use mi hand to block them and is suh both of mi hands almost chopped off. I also got chopped on my forehead and the back of my head," Perkins added.

Perkins said he was rushed to hospital with his hands barely hanging to his skin. Doctors rushed to operate, but Perkins said he is unable to do manual labour as he cannot grip anything.

"A next surgery need to do on it right now, and the doctors said this surgery would help mi a lot. But mi going to need to get tendon grafts, and the price for one of them is $557,000 and I need two of them. I am just praying and hoping that members of the public will help me to buy them," he said.

Sheldon Lawrence was charged with unlawful wounding arising from the attack and pleaded guilty in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court on May 14, 2021. He was sentenced to six months' imprisonment, which was suspended for 12 months. The judge also ordered that Lawrence must participate in a drug treatment programme and was referred to the Nannyville Health Centre in St Andrew.

Perkins said that despite his physical challenges, he still tries to seek a job.

"Mi try get even some sweeping job, but nobody nah look pon mi at all. Mi feel bad [that] mi can't provide for my children, and sometimes mi go on the road and beg, and some people shame mi and mi feel shame. Sometimes I go home and cry," he said. Perkins said that his babymother is the breadwinner, but she, too, is finding it difficult to make ends meet from her meagre salary.

"I want to play my part and I can't, and it make me feel really bad. She a get like $10,000 a week and she has to pay rent out of that, because we don't live together any more. Right now is just two of them (children) gone to school this morning (yesterday)," Perkins said. A GoFundMe account that was created last week has only raised CDN$70 of the $10,000 goal.

Persons wishing to assist Perkins may contact him at 876-336-3787.