Broadcast journalist Sterling Henderson remembered with love, tears

THE microphone which radio broadcaster Sterling Henderson once commanded is now silent. But echoes of his baritone which spoke of truth, humour and compassion continues to live in the hearts of all who listened, laughed and loved him.

These were among the sentiments expressed by Lay Minister Neil Parsanlal at Henderson's funeral on October 2 at the Trinity RC Church, Arouca. Singer Raymond Edwards added a soulful rendition of To God Be the Glory and Ave Maria, while musician Joey Rivers harmonised with the church’s choir to give a memorable send off with, Take Me Home.

Henderson, 54, was remembered with both tears and laughter as stories about his lateness, love of liming, sometime contradictory dress styles including being dressed in the latest fashion but wearing a pair of slippers while carrying a market bag, were told by colleagues.

The former deputy head of news at I95.5 FM, died suddenly of a heart attack on September 20.

Parsanlal said Henderson was more than a journalist but a person whose words brought news, culture and joy to listeners over the past two decades.

Friend of many years, writer Lisa Allen-Agostini, in a eulogy read by her daughter Ishara, said, “I have a huge hole in my heart right now. It’s Sterling-sized. Huge, because Sterling Vincent Ulerie Henderson was larger than life. How do you sum up such a person?”

She said he brought joy to any space he entered and his booming laugh was his signature.

Henderson's cousin Carla-Marie Ulerie said he was an advocate for justice and fair play and was never one to get angry.

I95.5 colleague Lance Mottley highlighted Henderson's resilience and wit during conflicting situations.

“Criticism and bouffs were like water on a duck’s back to Sterling…Then there was his sense of humour, his cutting wit, contents far too often irreverent and you laughed even when you shouldn’t. It was sometimes vexing, but he made you question your reaction.”

Parsanlal said Henderson’s voice, “both in timbre and tone, entered into our homes and became part of our lives, whether through the reading of the newscasts, or his Stand Up tent performance (put on annually by I95.5FM)."

“Sterling’s voice was remarkable, not only for its rich baritone flavour, but it was easily associated with truth and believability.”

“In the world of radio journalism, few voices have ever resonated as deeply or as enduringly as that of Sterling Henderson. With a tone that could calm storms and a cadence that drew listeners in like a familiar melody," Parsanlal said.

Parsanlal also used the occasion to call for greater care of journalists’ mental health, warning of the “relentless pressures of the news cycle” and the emotional toll of the profession including deadline pressure and job insecurity as the industry undergoes constant disruption.

Henderson was laid to rest in the churchyard cemetery