Appealing to people to stop judging others as no one was without fault, the son of calypsonian Austin "King Austin" Lewis yesterday cried as he recounted his father's last days battling Alzheimer's and substance abuse.
Delivering the eulogy at Lewis's funeral service at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Port-of-Spain, Marvin Lewis remembered the musical icon who was well known throughout T&T as a bird and animal lover, but one who also had a special passion for music.
Assured that Lewis's memory would live on in the hearts and minds of past and future generations, Marvin said his father had fallen victim to some of life's vices and had battled hard to overcome them until his passing on September 3.
Choosing to remember the positive memories of his father, Marvin said, "Life isn't something somebody can teach you."
He said right and wrong had to be learned through experience, and urged the congregation to pray and reflect on their own shortcomings.
Proclaiming his father to be one of the humblest persons around, Marvin said his father's recent memories always took him back to the days of laughter and enjoyment when music was viewed as an opportunity to entertain and educate others.
Marvin paused tearfully as he revealed his personal struggles to play "father" to Lewis during his struggle with Alzheimer's, as he said the father/son role reversal had crippled him—something he would not want to wish upon his worst enemy.
Alzheimer's is a progressive mental deterioration that can occur in middle or old age, due to the generalized degeneration of the brain.
It is the commonest cause of premature senility.
Lewis is most remembered for performing Winsford “Joker” Devine’s hit Progress in 1980.
Capturing the title of Calypso Monarch that same year, Relator yesterday said he remembered Lewis to be "humble and always smiling."
Joking that if Lewis had produced such an award-winning composition as Progress within recent times he would have been catapulted to millionaire status owing to the lack of quality compositions currently being put out, Relator shied away from questions relating to Lewis's drug abuse.
Agreeing that Lewis's death would be a great loss to the calypso and entertainment fraternity, former culture minister Winston "Gypsy" Peters praised his contribution to the country's musical landscape.
On the issue of aging calypsonians who were now seeking hand-outs for medical care, housing and other needs, Peters said, "They are supposed to take cognizance of themselves when they are making whatever they are making, and when they are successful, they are supposed to do things so that when these times come, they will have something to fall back on."
Delivering a sobering eulogy, Monsignor Christian Pereira acknowledged that progress in today's society had come at a much higher price than had previously been anticipated.
Assuring the family that God would take care of Lewis, Pereira urged those present to seek God's forgiveness as they moved forward in life.