BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - A teacher from the Basseterre High School is remembering a past student who died tragically earlier this week following an incident at one of the local beaches.
Dead is 18-year-old Kevin ‘Cig’ Rawlins and according to information received by SKNVibes, he dove off a pier into the ocean and collided with some rocks which resulted in his neck being broken. He was transported to the hospital but succumbed to his injuries the following day.
In an interview with SKNVibes one of Rawlins’ former teachers at the Basseterre High School remembered his rocky start and his transition into a productive and helpful student.
“From my experience with him, as a former teacher, he was reserved he had a lot of social issues and the school and the home were working and it was a point where it was resolved.
“He used to be missing classes and that sort of thing and then there was a change. He joined our Team Challenge Club, he was one of the singers, he was rather helpful and as one of my students, he would challenge himself and he was one of those students who was willing and determined to do good even if exercises were difficult. He was one of the students who persevered, he tried and tried; that was the kind of spirit he had he was very determined.”
The teacher spoke of the sadness she experienced since hearing of Rawlins’ tragic death.
“That is the sad thing about it…At this point in his life where you could have seen that he would have been able to mature to a responsible individual, and he died so tragically. It is really sad that we had to lose him and society has lost another good soul.
“I was really shocked I am still processing it in light of the fact that we are dealing with so many things right now it is just very, very difficult. His sisters and his entire family will take it very hard, the school on a whole will miss him. He was helpful to Mr. Hicks in the Music Department, he was also an athlete. He was an all-around individual in regard to our school so he is going to be greatly missed. He was also smiling, he was always willing to help and won an award for the most helpful student in the school.”
Earlier this week, the BHS Daily Storm Facebook page released a statement on the matter.
“We as a student body wish to convey our deepest and most sincere condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Kevin Cig's’ Rawlins, alumni of the Basseterre High School (Class of 2013). Rawlins was a very active member of the Teen Challenge Club, the Technical Engineering Team and Athletes in Action group during his tenure at the school. His warm, generous and diligent spirit will be missed.”
