By Theresa Goodwin
Twenty-two-year-old Alon Cornelius of Whenner Road had long dreamed of becoming an architect and was working on the sidelines to ensure he was able to cover the tuition fees associated with the Architectural Drawing programme at the Antigua and Barbuda International Institute of Continuing Education (ABICE).
Unfortunately, those dreams will never come to fruition due to his tragic death, by drowning, on Sunday. His body was removed from the waters in the Dickenson Bay area by members of the Antigua and Barbuda Defense Force (ABDF) Coast Guard around 8:58 pm.
According to official police reports, Cornelius, better known to friends and family as Malcolm, died after his kayak overturned.
Police say the initial report received by the Coast Guard indicated that the deceased was one of two persons who went out on the kayak, reportedly without life jackets.
While the other individual was assisted to safety by persons on the shore, Cornelius’ body was recovered after an extensive search was conducted.
Cornelius’ mother, Alex Cornelius, told our newsroom that her son left home shortly after 5pm Sunday to go kayaking with four friends.
She explained, that the information she received from secondary sources was that Malcolm, an avid swimmer, was assisting a female when he got into difficulties. This information, she said was confirmed on Monday by the female friend her son was assisting at the time.
The grieving mother added that the death of the eldest of her three children is a hard blow for her and the rest of the family. However, “I am trying to take it easy and moment by moment I am trying to keep it together”.
She also described her son as a very focused and hardworking individual who goes after what he wants.
“He attended the Jennings Secondary School and then the Antigua State College for a brief period before enrolling into the programme of his choice at ABICE. He was a very good child, just working to find himself. He did construction and other jobs on the side while he studied,” Alex said.
There has also been an outpouring of tributes and sympathy on social media for the family, including a post from a member of the faculty at Jennings Secondary School.
The contributor said Cornelius was a very well-mannered and peaceful young man.
“God have mercy my son’s best friend. Alon was like a son to me. My sincere condolences to his mother, I cannot imagine what you’re going through right now … my whole household is taking it hard,” the post read.
