Blades! Normally, when Belizeans hear that name, they automatically associate it with ice cream.
This time, however, we have to report a tragedy. Andrew Blades, 33, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Evan Blades, long-time proprietors of Blades Ice Cream, Blades Outlet and Blades Mobile Ice Cream trucks, has died after a jet-ski accident
Reports reaching our newspaper, although sketchy, are that sometime yesterday afternoon, Sunday, Blades was riding his jet-ski in the vicinity of St. George’s Caye, when he lost control and fell off the jet-ski.
Other reports are that he collided with another jet ski.
Blades was not wearing a life jacket, and due to his limited swimming skills, he ingested volumes of salt water, while struggling to stay afloat and alive.
Witnesses to the incident reportedly brought Blades in to Belize City and took him to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, where he was admitted in an unconscious state. Doctors there were able to pump the fluid from his stomach, we are told.
Today, Monday, he was transported to the Belize Healthcare Partners Hospital, where doctors wanted to do a brain scan on him. But after being there for just about two hours, doctors informed the family that his prognosis wasn’t looking too good.
A close family friend was there with them, and they proceeded to pray for Blades, but during the prayer, they were interrupted by the doctors. Mrs. Blades was called aside, and was told that her only son had died.
Amandala hopes to have more on this story in our next issue.
We understand that Andrew Blades was a friend of Stephen “DJ Scorpio” Hall who died tragically in a motorcycle accident on Saturday, February 11, 2012.