On the morning of November 29, 2012 the social networks were kept busy long before official Police reports of a fatal accident along the Bexon highway.
The official timeline indicated that at about 2:37am a vehicle driven by Lisa Felicien of Ravine Chabot ran off the road along the Bexon Highway with three passengers in the car; her sister 22-year-old Tiffany Felicien, 26-year-old Lance Montoute also known as Mac 11 a popular entertainer here, and 23-year-old Raquel Harris. Lisa, who died as a result of injuries sustained in the accident, had been out celebrating her birthday with her friends. Tiffany suffered body injuries and two broken legs, whilst Mac 11 also suffered a broken leg, body injuries and damage to his right eye. Raquel has since been flown to Martinique and remains in a state of paralysis. Her family has launched a special appeal on her behalf. (See the Weekend STAR Newspaper-December, 22, 2012.)
This Sunday friends of Mac 11, a popular stage performer who last won the local Guinness song competition will host a special fundraising tribute for him. The event which will be hosted by members of Mac 11’s entertainment entourage “The Family” is dubbed “Beach mania: the special edition Mac 11 recovery drive.” It will be held at Pigeon Point, Sunday December 30 with music by “The Family” DJs and performances from Ambi, Soca Psycho, Zionomi, Crocadile, Mighty and Surbance among others. And, despite being still in pain, Mac 11 jokingly told the STAR Thursday, that he might just make a guest appearance at the event. He says he is still in agony as a result of his broken left leg, which was splintered in three places and his right eye for which he has to undergo surgery on January 12, 2013.
We spoke a little about his music and the outpouring of support he had been receiving from fellow entertainers and fans before he took a deep breath to recount the events of November 28-29, at my request.
“Well I left home around 8:30 that Thursday night and went down to ‘the Gaza’ that’s by the Marc gap in Bexon, because every Thursday, I MC there. So I was there, just chilling and hanging out,” Mac 11 recalls. “So later that night Lisa came there with her sister and a friend, Lisa actually is my neighbor from Ravine Chabot, so when she came there she was like my date for the night, my dancing partner, so we were having fun all night,” he went on.
“So I decided when they were leaving to take a ride home with them since we are from the same area. But my partners started giving me chat saying boy you see woman you eh staying here, because usually they give me a house to sleep in whenever I perform down there,” he went on to explain.
“So we left, with Lisa driving, her sister Tiffany in the passenger seat and I was in the back seat behind her. Kernetta was at the back with me and was resting on my lap on the back seat. To tell you the truth I cannot say if Lisa had too much to drink I know she had two drinks when she was with me, but I heard they were up north before they came Bexon, so I am hearing maybe she fell asleep maybe she had too many drinks, but what I cannot say for sure what I remember is that we had some speed,” Mac 11 says a tone of regret in his voice.
“What I remember next, happened so fast but I can recall that we overtook one vehicle and I remember saying maysyay I think I should drive you know. Because at that point things just did not look right and it was as if Lisa had this frozen look on her face. I looked at the speedometer and it was moving from 120-135 so fast and I realized we were on the right side of the road. At that point I think I saw the accident coming because I know that road well and I know that corner before Pork chop Charlie where everyone slows down. But we were not slowing down, so when I saw what was coming I grabbed Tiffany who was in the front seat, her legs came up and I think maybe if I did not do that it could have been her chest that was crushed. And Raquel’s head was on my leg that got broken. By that time pieces of glass was flying everywhere and the car was flipping on one side and I was just saying oh my God and trying to keep my eyes closed, but still peeping to see what was happening and I think that was when something struck me in my right eye,” he says breathlessly. “At that point I took something to break the glass and kept calling for help, I looked at Lisa. Blood was pouring from her mouth and she was saying oh God oh God, I pulled my pink bag, called for help, felt someone put me to lie down, everything was happening so fast.”
We then asked Mac 11 when he found out that his friend Lisa was dead. He paused, took a deep breath and said; “to tell you the truth from the time I heard the head-horn, you know when the head makes impact with the horn and you hear the constant horn, it’s like a death call.”
Mac 11 told the STAR that he will always remember his friend but even in his pain he remains concerned about Tiffany and Kernetta and wishes them both well. Not one to drink or smoke he advises young people against the trappings of both drinking and smoking without pointing any fingers as to what may have led to the accident. Maybe his “Do do dat” catch phrase could be used as a new campaign?
“As young people you know we tend to live in the fast lane thinking nothing will happen to us, but I will advise persons against drinking and drugs, but if you are going to drink get a designated driver. I believe now more than ever that God has me here for a reason and will try to live my life better,” he reasons. Asked if going to church and getting closer to the God he believes in might be one of his resolutions for 2013 he paused and then answered “yeah man.”
In the meantime the 6’ 5” entertainer says wants to thank all those persons who have been supporting him and wishing him well and that he is overwhelmed and excited about Sundays event after having called some of the entertainers who agreed himself.
He is thankful that he is still alive and thankful too that people are still able to reach out to each other in times of need wishing that this side of the Saint Lucia he loves could be more constant.
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