“He Didn’t Have To Die”
Too many guns, not enough ambulances, no clinic - and one of the "good ones" is dead
Perhaps the greatest tragedy is that he didn’t have to die.
Let us begin by offering our deepest and most heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and community that is now mourning the senseless death of Hernan “Puchy” Santos, 43, who was gunned down late Saturday night in the Marley Homes in Frederiksted, St. Croix. May they find strength during this most difficult time from the prayers of their community and all who learn of this tragedy.
He was a husband, father, son, brother, role model and contributor. He was a man who, like many of us, had his struggles. But he worked his way through them and at the time of his death was the owner of Yee Feed Shop, his own business, the realization of a dream he never thought was possible but one he worked and sacrificed for until it was his. And now he is dead.
Sometimes death by crime becomes so common it becomes impersonal; we become desensitized but in this case, in the words of his brother Jaime, we begin to feel the crushing, personal reality of the loss.
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And it was there, at his shop, where Santos was fatally attacked by those, we are told, felt his life was a fair trade for his necklace and “Cash for Gold.”
How must he have felt, lying there, bleeding, waiting a half hour for an ambulance that had to come all the way from Juan Luis hospital, as there is no ambulance in the West, and no medical facility since the Frederiksted clinic remains closed. There isn’t even an ambulance at the Fire Station in West – so there was nothing to do but wait.
They lost him and brought him back twice in that long ambulance ride back to the hospital. But he didn’t make it through the surgery and around 3 a.m., Jaime said, they found out he was gone.
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We will never know. What we do know is that the cry for medical assistance on the West end of St. Croix has gone unanswered, lost in a chorus of bureaucratic babble. The clinic is a quasi autonomous entity; the Legislature appropriates the funds but the Executive branch has to execute; we have the ambulances but we don’t have trained personnel; and on and on and on.
And “Puchy” Santos is dead.
Will this be enough to break the deadlock that has resulted in who knows how many deaths, or near deaths, because of lack of medical care on the West end of St. Croix? Why is there a shortage of trained emergency medical personnel? If there is money to hire countless assistants and “project coordinators” in government agencies, surely there are funds for the public health! Will someone now take this public safety threat seriously and mount an aggressive attack against the number of illegal guns on the street? Or will that only become a priority when a tourist gets shot?
Death sometimes makes saints out of sinners, but Jaime said that wasn’t the case with his brother.
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But perhaps radio host Mario Moorhead said it best, when responding with deep condolences to Jaime, who made the above referenced comments on his program on Tuesday.
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Isn’t the F-sted clinic a 501 c 3, receiving Federal Community Health Center funding? President Obama has really, really beefed up funding for Community Health Centers.
The F-sted clinic was a model facility under the former health commissioner. What the heck happened?
Hmmm… he really didn’t have to die, and probably would not have if we had public servants, whether it be the governor, PFA, PW, or even DLCA. IF DLCA did thier job and cracked down on all the illegal “gold buyers”, like the one caddy-corner to where the assault took place, then maybe the pea brain criminal would not have had such an easy route to obtaining money for the gold he killed for. This government and it’s lazy workers disgust me, but they also give me something to fight for. Things are so wrong, what is it going to take to get them right?
IT HIGH TIME WE TAKE BACK THE F’STED CLINIC, WE NEED TO MARCH AND SIT IN, I AM READY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. LETS DO AWAY WITH THAT 501C 3 COMAPNY NOW
It’s not the 501c3 that’s the problem, it’s the PFA and thier inability to make decisions for the populous who blindly count on them to make decisions! We need to do away with the PFA.
I send my condolences to the family of “Puchy” Santos. It is bad enough that this man was gunned down on the streets so senselessly. What makes it worst is that he didn’t get immediate help from the Police Department or the Juan Luis Hospital. This shows that our emergency system is not up to par like the media is trying to lead us to believe! It takes more that having fancing equipment for the 911 system to be truly effective! We need personnel and resources in order to sure that 911 would operate in a timely manner!
What we need is for IBM to pay us back all that money for the 911 system that is not working!
Or maybe the West is being made to pay for the blows imposed last election on this administration?
Let’s honor the memory of this young Virgin Islander who was a role model for many young and hopeless men of F’sted. He was gun down senselessly and now look how this administration is responding to the cries for medical emergency response for the residence of F’sted, the Administrator claims he is placing an ambulance at the F’sted Fire Station. How come this plan wasn’t realized long before this death. The people did say it was going to take a moment like this before they reacted.
We all must die eventually!Unfortunately, some of us do not understand that we can be part of the solution. Stop blaming the government for everything. Help prevent crime by being a big brother to these hopeless, misguided youths. Stop the breeding and bringing unwanted children in the world. Stop let women be the single parents. Stop neglecting your own children. Stop the bleeding.Stop hating those who do not share your opinions. Together we can stop these senseless killing.Together we can!
Typical for the John deJongh insane crew to try to steer the fault away from the deJongh Administration. This like so many others could have been prevented if the Governor was doing his job.
Together no more, NOT Another 4!
I hope and pray not another 4!
The Governor cannot control the minds of the criminals. We all have the will to choose evil or good. Those who committed the senseless killing are responsible for the death. Stop blaming the Governor for their actions.
did you listen to his family? he was coherent and could have pulled through if the ambulance did not take so long. They need an ambulance in Fred’Std and they need a health clinic.
The governor is to blame for the lack of ambulance and no health clinic. His Adminisrtation is responsible for shutting the clinic down and not having an ambulance.
I most comment that everyone of ous have some kind of blame ok, because i am a single parent bringing up 2 boys and i DO NOT NEED ANY FATHER or MAN figure to help me put my foot down. These ladies are just not taking there time to love and protect OUR boys. And for the Govrnment, it’s not really the Governor is the Senators, Administrator(s), who need to put things in place. The Health Dept. is who responcible for the EMS Dept, they are to take charge and place them where they belong. EMS belongs in all fire stations, and all fire employees are to be trained as EMT’s. so do not bleam Governor/Government alone blame Health DEPT. togeather with eveyone of us!!!
Give me a break. The Governor is the chief executive. HE runs the Department of Health. He also appoints the administrators. The Senators can pass all of the bills they want, but the governor executes.
With entitlement, comes responsibility. The Governor must be held accountable. What happen to the brilliant ideas he had to fix tings?
@ Anonymous Lady:
I am heartfelt to hear of your proudness to raise your children without a man, but didn’t it take a man to bring those children into this realm? Didn’t you make love to produce those children? Why should you deny those children the same intensity of love that got them here? Do you tell your children that they don’t need a man in thier lives? Don’t you think that they are worthy of fatherly guidance and discipline? Maybe the father doesn’t have to live with them, but certainly the intonation you brought forward in your post leaves me to believe that these children of yours will wind up with no respect for male role models. I could certainly be wrong, so please correct me. But, what I see these children leaning towards is a life of disrespect and hoodlumism by default, as having no respect for any fellow athoritaive male. I see another criminal in the making, perhaps unsuspecting, yet I see more of what we have as a real problem in our community right now. I am sorry if I have offended you, but please set me straight so I understand better why a woman would reveal herself as hating men so much, yet use one to raise a child in the same light.
qi4UgY Excellent article, I will take note. Many thanks for the story!
Today i watch my uncle puchy santos laid to rest. thanksto every one who took to the time to attend the service and sent your condolences to my family. my uncle was gun down over something so senceless. mt heart ache everytime i think of him not being here to do things we all enjoy doing with him. i thought i was ready to say good bye but its harder than i thought it would
i miss you uncle and we all miss you every single second of every day;
LUV U PUCHY
My condolences. Let us pray that he did not die in vain and that some attention will be paid to medical services on the west end.