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Ebola Victim Patrick Sawyer Lionized In US

By Moses D. Sandy
Diaspora (USA) Ebola Victim Patrick Sawyer Lionized In US
AUG 29, 2014 LISTEN

Southwest Philadelphia- “Ebola is wicked; it robbed my children, Ava, Mia, and Bella Sawyer of their dad...” These were the excruciating words of Mrs. Decontee Kofa Sawyer when she paid homage to her late husband Patrick Papu Sawyer, the man she once vilified in the media for reported infidelity.

Then, Mrs. Sawyer's reminiscence about her deceased husband was vindictive. “He left me when I was seven months pregnant with our third child. We already had a 3-year-old and a 4-year-old together, with a third on the way. He left us all and started a new family in Liberia,” she wrote in an open letter on Face-Book, a social media.

Decontee and Patrick married on December 13, 2008 in the State of Minnesota but prior to his death the couple was on separation while he worked in Liberia, West Africa. “Patrick left us, and he never turned back. We only communicated occasionally regarding our children,” the Widow alleged.

However, on Saturday, August 23, 2014, when she stood before an assembly of mourners, relatives, and friends of the Sawyer and Kofa families, to make tribute to her late husband at a memorial service held for him and his fallen sister, Princess Nyennetue, Decontee's tone of voice sounded reconciliatory. “He loved his children and wanted the best for them,” she said while holding back tears.

Mrs. Sawyer said “I am in deep sorrow that our three children will grow up never getting the chance to know their father.” The memorial service was held in Southwest Philadelphia a hub of the Liberian Community in the State of Pennsylvania. The service was initially planned by the Sawyer family including the late Patrick to remember his late sister Princess, who predeceased him 17 days earlier. He had planned to fly from Liberia to the City of Philadelphia but his plan did not materialize. Princess died of the Ebola Virus on July 8, 2014 in Liberia. She was 27 years old.

The late Liberian government official passed in Lagos, Nigeria where he had gone to attend a conference of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Mr. Sawyer collapsed at the Lagos International Airport and he was rushed to the First Consultant Hospital located in Obalende, Lagos where series of medical examinations including an Ebola check were conducted on him. His specimen was taken and sent to the WHO Regional Center Laboratory in Senegal.

He was diagnosed with the lethal Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) and he died on July 25, 2014 at age 40. The Nigerian government cremated his remains, a practice which seems outlandish to Liberian burial rituals. The late Sawyer was Liberian-American and a graduate of the St. Mary's University in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He had a Master's degree in Public Health Administration and he was pursuing a doctoral degree in Public Health Administration from St. Benedictine University before his death.

While in Liberia, the deceased served the government in various capacities: County Development officer, Grand Bassa County and Consultant, Ministry of Finance and Development Planning. He also, doubled as Head of the ECOWAS National Unit/APRM National Secretariat and Public Health Manager at Arcelor Mittal, Liberia.

The late Sawyer became infected with the disease after caring for his sister Princess when she was terminally ill. Princess contracted the disease in early July. He took his sister to the St. Joseph Catholic Hospital in Monrovia for treatment while bleeding profusely. He is reported to have had direct contact with Princess' blood stain.

Lethal Infection EVD is for now the world deadliest disease. It is a fatal human disease caused by the Ebola virus. Symptoms typically start two to 21 days after contacting the virus with a http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feverfever, sore throat and muscle pains, and headaches. It is then followed by nausea, vomiting and diarrhea along with decreased functioning of the liver and kidney, which eventually leads to bleeding.

The disease is usually acquired when a person comes into contact with the blood or bodily fluids such as blood, sweat, semen, and vaginal secretions of an infected animal such as a monkey or fruit bat. Fruit bats are believed to carry and spread the virus without being affected by it. Once infection of a human occurs, the disease may be spread from one person to another. Men who survive may be able to transmit the disease sexually for nearly two months.

Ebola kills about 90 % of those infected, but patients have a better chance of survival if they receive early treatment. The virus for now has no cure, or vaccine. Ebola first emerged in 1976 in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan.

The infection is named after the Ebola River located in Yambuku, Democratic Republic of Congo. Since March of this year when the infection broke in Guinea, EVD continues to be a major health crisis in West Africa. WHO reports the disease has now claimed more than 15 hundred human lives. It is the largest ever outbreak and has infected an estimated 2,615 people. About half of those infected have died. The disease has for been identified in four countries, Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria.

EVD Imported to Nigeria
The late Sawyer is reported to have willfully imported the Ebola Virus to Nigeria where since his demise the death toll of EVD infected individuals, especially persons, who had direct contact with him is steadily increasing. Currently, 13 EVD cases have been confirmed in the country and 5 of the infected individuals including a nurse, who attended to the late Sawyer at the First Consultant Hospital and an ECOWAS protocol staff, who also, had direct contact him have died.

Angered about the rate at which the infection is taking hold in his country, Nigeria President Good luck Jonathan recently described the late Sawyer as a 'mad man'. He said "It is unfortunate that one mad man brought Ebola to us, but we have to contain it." President Jonathan's harsh criticism of the dead Liberian government official was preceded by similar denigration by President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf. The President expressed disappointment in Sawyer's decision to reportedly ignore medical advice and travel to Nigeria after attending to his sick sister thereby placing the health of Nigerians at risk. Then, President Johnson-Sirleaf angrily said “One of our compatriots met his untimely death and put to risk others across borders because of indiscipline and disrespect for the advisory that had been given by health workers”.

Contrasting Views
Despite Presidents Johnson-Sirleaf and Jonathan's public condemnation of the late Sawyer for allegedly putting the lives of others including Nigerians at risk by failing to heed medical advice from health authorities regarding his condition prior to travelling to Nigeria, for the Sawyer and Kofa families, and friends of the deceased, Papu was a nationalist, who died serving his country.

Liberia Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), former Commissioner and friend of the late Sawyer, Massa Washington, described President Johnson-Sirleaf's disparaging comment about Patrick as uncalled for and unfortunate. Former Commissioner Washington said Patrick was a patriot, who died serving his country. She said “Patrick loved Liberia. The least we can do now is to sympathize with his family instead of putting him down.”

In a tribute, the National President of the Grandcess Association in the Americas, Nimene Twegby described the double tragedies as irreparable. “Our community is touched and deeply troubled by this situation. We feel the pain of the family and we are heavy hearted. We are bleeding from the loss,” Mr. Twegby pontificated.

For the Sawyer family, Papu and Princess' death is a huge blow to their mother Georgia Nah and the entire family. Delivering the family's tribute, Ms. Beatrice Mawolo told the mourners “Papu was a caring man and Princess was talented. We are grieving because of Ebola but let not every Liberian family grieve like us.” She said “let Papu and Princess' death not be in vain. We must work together in helping the Liberian government in containing the Ebola health crisis.” Ms. Mawolo said Patrick's death has helped in galvanizing local and international support for the fight against EVD in Liberia and the West African region.

For his part, Pastor Tom Wiah, a Liberian religious Leader from the State of New Jersey, who reportedly played a leading role in helping the late Sawyer resettled in the US few years ago, said “It is sad to see someone grow, doing well, and pass just like that.” He said Patrick was a good man. Pastor Wiah said “Patrick may have lived a short life but the Lord knows why.”

He called on the deceased mother and the bereaved families to take courage during this difficult moment. “Believe in the Lord Georgia as you go through this because only the Lord can console you.” The Knights of St. John and the Ladies Auxiliary of the Catholic Church and several other groups and individuals paid homage to the late Papu and Princess. They soothed their mother Georgia and urged her to remain steadfast during this difficult period.

Community Man
According to the Sawyer family, Patrick was always passionate in his every endeavor in life. He had the desire of making impact on Liberia and the world. While in Minnesota, the late Sawyer was a member of the Ahblawoe Old Timers Soccer Club. He was also, a member of the Neo-progressive pressure group and volunteered most of the time for the Organization of Liberians in Minnesota.

DECONTEE SAWYERDECONTEE SAWYER

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