Small Businesswoman's Home and Business Destroyed by Fire: Determination Fuels Recovery Efforts

What began as an ordinary day for small businesswoman Talicia Lewis turned into a nightmare when her home and business went up in flames last Wednesday, leaving her and her family with nothing but determination and the goodwill of the community to start over.

In an interview with Barbados TODAY on Tuesday, Lewis, 41, said her road to recovery was slow but promising, adding that the support she has been receiving from loved ones and members of the public has been touching, giving her the determination to press on.

Recalling what transpired last Wednesday, Lewis, a mother of two, said she left home in the afternoon to purchase cleaning supplies and art supplies.

She recalled: “The day was good, I was cleaning up, I had some work to do and realised I had no more Disiclin. I had to go and get some. I also had to get bristol board for my son’s school project. I left home around 2:45 p.m., to go to Dome Mall and when I left there I went to Home Improvement Hardware. When we were there my daughter’s supervisor was like ‘Wait, what is all that black smoke up there, I hope your house ain’t up there burning.’ I was like ‘I hope so too because I just left there.’”

Lewis said she got back home around 3:10 p.m., and was in utter shock when she saw her home and business up in flames.

“I was in tears, I screamed. When I saw it I forgot the ground was rock. I just dropped. There was nothing I could do. I had to watch everything I worked hard for go up in flames.”

She also lost a recently purchased company vehicle to the fire.

The home and business were uninsured.

At the rear of the building, she operated a baking business and her popular ice popsicle company, Happy Treats. The front of the timber-and-wall structure was the dwelling place of herself, her two children — aged 22 and eight — and her 69-year-old father.

Lewis said a lot of people might criticise her for not having the property insured, but as a small business owner, some priorities outweighed others in the grand scheme of things.

She said: “In terms of investment, it was huge, it was massive. That is where the criticisms about insurance came from. I had insurance at one point, but COVID-19 happened and I had to pick a struggle. Yes, I had to get back on the horse. I got the quotations and that was the next thing to do. A week or two before the incident, I had got the van sorted out with the insurance for that and the road tax. The next thing was the house, but it didn’t happen. We always think we have time, it is just an unfortunate thing.”

Lewis said this was not just a big blow to her business but also to her family. She said her dad had lived in that house for more than 50 years, and she raised her two children there.

She said the house had transformed from a small chattel house into improved condition over the years.

She added that her children and dad are trying to cope with what occurred.

Lewis is currently staying with a close family friend, and arrangements are being made through the government social services programme to find accommodation until she can get back on her feet.

She said: “I don’t have the privilege of getting two weeks’ sick leave and curling up in a ball and crying. All my work just got burned up. When the 28th of this month comes and I have my bills to pay, nobody wants to hear my house burned down. That’s the reality.

“I do have my moments, but people need to be mindful of how they judge people when they grieve. People say ‘How can you laugh? Why are you not crying?’ That is simply not my personality. I have difficulty sleeping . . . my eating is crazy, I have no appetite. So because you may see me happy and laughing doesn’t mean what I am going through isn’t painful. My neighbours had to lift me away when the house was burning.”

The house was demolished last Sunday, leaving only the foundation.

The entrepreneur added that her relationship with friends and family has been helping her to cope with the losses.

As it relates to a rebound strategy, Lewis said she was taking a moment to breathe and deal with her emotions before she went back into hustler drive.

She has no other stream of income.

Some people have stepped forward to help her in the rebuilding process. She got a quotation and is in the process of setting up accounts at two hardware stores.

In terms of the response from the public, she said: “You all are really coming through for me and I really appreciate it. Nothing is too small. Whatever you give me and my family we appreciate it. You are not obligated to do anything for me, and the fact that you choose to sacrifice for me and my family is overwhelming.

“I am just thankful for the opportunity to have a community who rallies, to be around people who care. Every contribution doesn’t need to be monetary. A simple call to find out if I am okay is much appreciated too.”

Lewis has been an entrepreneur for over 15 years and was recently working with Export Barbados to get her products sold overseas.

sheriabrathwaite@barbadostoday.bb