Girl mauled to death by dog gets national award

The heroic act by 11-year-old Rachel Bhagwandeen on August 25, 2022, to protect her younger brother from the wrath of an aggressive dog, ultimately costing her life, has earned her a posthumous national award in the sphere of gallantry.

Still in deep grief, Rachel's parents, Kelvin and Seema Bhagwandeen, said the close-knit family faces a lifetime of pain.

The mother of four told Newsday that the saying "time heals all wounds" is not true with grief.

From my perspective, people learn to adjust to what is before them. This is a wound that I would never heal from. I am determined that I will not become bitter no matter how I feel."

"I will let God do what he has to do in my life. Rachel will always be remembered as my loving, kind baby.

Rachel, a standard five pupil of the Vistabella Presbyterian School, and her brother, Jaylon, now ten, came face to face with a raging dog while watching TV. They were visiting relatives at Solomon Street in Vistabella, where the unthinkable happened. She told him to run as the dog, an American bulldog mix named Buddy, launched at her. The petite girl was no match for the dog that mauled her.

Rachel's weeping brother alerted his mother, who ran into the room and saw the dog over her dying daughter. Seema saw Rachel take her last breath.

Jaylon is still receiving counselling and has gotten the strength to relate the details of Rachel's final moments.

Seema referred to Rachel as an angel who "God loaned us for 11 years."

While Seema takes comfort that Rachel is in heaven, she was not ready for her to leave so early and in the manner she went.

With tears in her eyes, at the family's home in Freeport, the bereaved mother added, "We are surviving by the grace of God. Her memories will forever be in my mind until the day I die. Even if I get amnesia, I will still remember her."

"Learning to survive is a challenge in itself. There are days when I am home alone I broke down. Thursday is a traumatic day for me. I have constant flashbacks because it happened on a Thursday."

Seema said not a day has passed that she did not think of Rachel. She also writes daily journals for Rachel.

Relatives have conversations with Rachel, whose image is on a large banner in the living room. There is also a small shrine with photos and Rachel's items.

Rachel's parents, both pastors of the New Beginning House of Praise in Chaguanas, wore pendants bearing her photo.

On the award, Rachel's father said while the gesture is good, the circumstances remain tragic.

"She is not there to collect it herself. It is tough. Yes, she laid her life for her brother, but she is not here to enjoy it. She was perfectly healthy. There was no forewarning. I do not believe that parents should bury their children. It should be the other way around," he said.

He shared many fond memories, saying of all his children, she took the most photos and videos. In hindsight, it is as if she was creating and leaving them memories.

Sometimes, he cannot believe she is dead and often looks at the funeral service to double-check if the tragedy was a dream.