Happy ending for Balloon Man

THERE was a lot to celebrate this month for Marcus Gibbs, 28, better known as the "Balloon Man" of San Juan, as he not only received the keys to his new home but also welcomed the birth of a daughter, on July 7.

Gibbs now lives comfortably with his wife and five children at a townhouse in the Cashew Gardens Housing Development, Carlsen Field. The family moved into their new home last Saturday.

Gibbs' story of impoverishment and struggle, first told by Newsday in April, touched the hearts of many who dipped into their wallets and purses to offer financial help while others offered appliances, food and even temporary accommodation. Readers from as far as Canada and America reached out.

He invited Newsday into his new HDC apartment for an interview, the latest in a series which began four months ago when he told Newsday that he, his four children – two boys and two girls – aged nine, eight, five and four – and his common-law wife Tamerra David lived in an old, dilapidated house.

Originally from Bridge Road in Petit Bourg, Gibbs is the sole breadwinner of the family, selling balloons in San Juan over the last four years.

He said that on a "good day" he would make up to $200 selling different styles, sizes and colours of balloons. As the covid19 pandemic swept the world, forcing countries including TT to implement restrictions to halt the virus spread, Gibbs’ income dried up and his family began to starve.

In March, when the Prime Minister ordered non-essential workers to remain home, Gibbs, whose balloon business fell in that category, turned to Newsday with a desperate cry for help. He pleaded with the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) to speed up his application so his family could live more comfortably.

He was concerned that the dilapidated house they lived in could collapse on them.

Within two days of the story being published in Newsday, a good Samaritan offered Gibbs and his family an apartment to live in for two months, rent free. As Newsday's story went viral online, offers of food, money and even household appliances poured in.

Gibbs said he received so many donations of food that he in turn donated them to other impoverished families as a means of "spreading the love that I was getting from so many."

A month later, the HDC contacted Gibbs with an offer of an apartment at the corporation's Maloney housing development. But with a young family, Gibbs said, while he was very grateful for the HDC's offer, he was hesitant to accept it, given what he thought was an increase in gang activities in Maloney.

“I know I may have sounded ungrateful but every decision I make, I do so with my family's safety and wellbeing in mind, so I asked if there was another option and the folks at the HDC told me they will look into it,” Gibbs said.

Weeks later, the restrictions were lifted and Gibbs immediately went back to work, selling his balloons. He was then contacted by the Community-Based Environmental Protection and Enhancement Programme (CEPEP) with an offer of a temporary job.

As the two-month period his family was allowed to stay rent-free at the apartment was coming to an end, Gibbs said he began to grow nervous as he heard nothing from the HDC. But in the meantime, he added, he began to save what money he could with a plan to pay down on an apartment when the time came for his family to leave.

Lady Luck still kept smiling on Gibbs and his family. On July 2,  the HDC asked him to come in for an interview. An apartment at  Cashew Gardens was sourced and Gibbs jumped at the opportunity.

"I don't know what to say, nah. How can a man express in words his thanks to everyone, to complete strangers, who came forward to help his family? I am grateful and thankful to God that my family has a home to call its own. I am grateful to everyone who helped and who prayed for me and my family," Gibbs said during an interview three weeks ago.

But the family was to get even more joy.

Moments after his family moved into their new home, Gibbs' wife Tamerra went into labour and a new addition  – a healthy girl – was born at midnight on July 4.

"God has smiled on me," Gibbs said.

“This ent no mamaguy eh, I want to thank Newsday for showing such an interest in my story. It just shows that the media isn’t just about selling papers, it’s about helping people.”

Gibbs said he still has one more very important thing to do.

“Now I can get married. It was our plan, but we could not do it, given the condition we found ourselves in. I worked in the hot sun for years. My wife stuck with me when things were rough and times were hard, when we used candles for light in the night. And now that we are very much more comfortable, I’m gonna stick with her,” Gibbs said.