SHOCK AND HORROR AS UWI STUDENT DIES IN THE USA
When Shamalyn Cannigan waved goodbye to her twin daughters, Meagan and Morgan, in June, the last thing she expected was that one of them would not return home.
The twins, 21, students at The University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona, travelled avelled overseas on the work and travel el programme. They were due back on Sunday. However, Shamalyn, a resident of Liberty Hill, St Ann, received one of the most t disturbing calls of her life about 4 a.m. on August 29. Morgan was gravely ill — she was told — and was dying.
“To get a call like that saying that your daughter is not well, she is not going to make it, was heartbreaking,” the grieving mother told THE STAR.
Meagan said that she and her sister were in the apartment that they share in Virgina, USA, when their world turned upside down.
“She started feeling a bit dizzy. She got a seizure in the morning,” Meagan said, her voice breaking.
“She got a seizure and then we called 911 and went to a hospital. There we found out that she was very sick and ultimately found out that she had a brain tumour, and it ultimately cut the circulation of blood flow to her brain and that caused brain death,” Meagan said. Morgan had no known pre-existing medical condition, her sister said.
“It was a roller coaster of emotions. She’s my y best friend,” Meagan said of her twin tw sister.
The Cannigan girls were we students at The UWI U where they were w reading for bachelor’s degrees in marketing . They were due to start final year this month. Rattled by the untimely un death of her sister, siste Meagan, who is still overseas, ove has decided to sit out this semester. She, however, plans to complete her degree, which she said will be dedicated to Morgan.
“We had plans to do literally everything together. I’m going to push even harder for her because we always had big dreams of doing a lot, accomplishing a lot and I know she wouldn’t want me to stop pushing,” she said of her sister who she described as one who was full of life.
“She’s very jovial like that. She loved making people laugh and have a good time. She doesn’t like when people are sad around her. She’s loving and caring and has a huge heart,” Morgan said.
Shamalyn said she will remember her daughter as a God-fearing and familyoriented girl who was always full of life.
“She was a go-getter, always full of life. She’s a Christian and loves her parents so much. She always wants what’s best for us. She’s always reading and loves children. She loves her sister, she loves her brothers, she loves everybody. She’s just full of life, always smiling,” the mother recalled.
The grieving mother said she is unsure how she will recover from Morgan’s sudden death.
“Their birthday was July 23. Is the first birthday I haven’t been with them in 21 years and look what happened.”
Shamalyn said her main goal is to raise enough money to get her daughter’s body shipped home so she can bury her.
“We’re trying to reach the goal of US$15,000 (approximately J$2.2 million) so we can get the body down. I just need to get her back. If anyone wants to help just please give from your heart as it could be your child too, just to make things go a little easier so her body can come down and be buried near her family,” the grieving mother said.
As of yesterday, just over US$6,000 (approximately J$903,000) has been pledged.
You can help the Cannigan family return Morgan’s body by donating via GoFundMe. https://gofund.me/69b56f0c