By Azara Lavia
In the grand tapestry of life, there are few milestones as remarkable and awe-inspiring as reaching the incredible age of 100.
A century of existence is an extraordinary feat, a testament to resilience, wisdom, strength and honour.
On Tuesday, Denzil O’Brien Cummins, of Sea View Farm, celebrated his 100th birthday, becoming the country’s newest centenarian.
The birthday celebration was organised by the Community Development and Citizenship Engagement Division, under the distinguished auspices of Governor General Sir Rodney Williams who congratulated Cummins on the landmark date, noting that it’s a privilege few get to enjoy.
In addition to His Excellency, also in attendance were Reverend Dr Nevin Lewis, family, friends, community members and well-wishers.
Speaking to Observer, Vernessa Cummins, who has been married to the celebrant for 60 happy years, spoke highly about her husband’s character and personality.
She described him as a strong proponent for honesty, courtesy and respect, and a frank individual.
“He will tell you, I like people being honest and I like people who like to look after other people, not take advantage of people, so once he sees an advantage taking place, he’ll tell you that is not right and that is not discipline and it’s not fair to do unjust things. He is loving, kind and he will do anything for anybody, but don’t take liberty,” she explained.
Cummins said the birth of the couple’s twin boys – now in their 50s – was a highlight of their marriage and one of her husband’s proudest memories.
Reverend Lewis, of the Lebanon Moravian Church, of which Cummins is a member, spoke highly about the new centenarian and his strong faith and belief in Christ.
“I have the privilege of giving him communion every month since he’s not able to come out to church as he previously did,” he said. “Although I have not known him for a long time, you can tell immediately that he has a sense of humour and although you may not expect a person of his age to be aware of what’s going on around him, he’s very much aware.
“So we’ll talk a little cricket sometimes; I think in his day he probably played cricket from Barbados. But what I love about him is that he loves singing and his voice is still strong enough. In fact, sometimes he’s singing hymns that I don’t know. And so, you know, that there is some faith there and there’s a foundational belief in God.”
Also present was Dale O’Brien, of the Community Development and Citizens Engagement Division.
“As we continue to celebrate our national gem, we must also celebrate the union which has provided you with love, companionship and a family which you can be proud of,” he told Cummins. “May every minute of your 100th birthday be filled with immense joy.”
During his professional career, Cummins worked in multiple sectors. He is a former carpenter, chef, and entrepreneur and also worked as a conductor with London Transport.
Cummins’ favourite hymn is ‘Guide me, O great Jehovah’ and his favourite scripture is Exodus 20:12 “Honour your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you”.
The Barbados native received a special birthday card from King Charles III, along with fruit baskets and a birthday cake courtesy of Anja’s Creations.
