Jul 22, 2026
3 min read
Days before he died in the MV Barima disaster, 28-year-old crew member Kevin Carl Wilson told his mother he had found the woman he planned to marry - a conversation she now holds onto as his life was cut short at sea.
"He told me, 'This is the last girl I'm bringing home because this is the girl I'm going to marry,'" Petula Wilson, 54, told Ignite News, recalling her son's words about the girlfriend he had hoped to introduce to family once she returned from holiday.
Wilson's body was recovered on Monday evening, bringing an end to days of hope and uncertainty for his family following the capsizing of the ferry.
Speaking through tears, Petula described her son as a dedicated and hardworking young man who had been employed with the Transport and Harbours Department for just over two years, after previously serving between seven and eight years in the Guyana Police Force's Tactical Services Unit.
According to Petula, Kevin had worked aboard the vessel, which travels between Kingston Wharf in Georgetown and Port Kaituma, for approximately three years. Although his schedule usually allowed him to return home weekly, mechanical issues with the vessel often delayed his return.
"I spoke to him on Friday. He told me they had finished loading and would be heading upriver on Saturday. That was the last conversation I had with my son," she told this publication.
Petula was overseas on holiday at the time of the disaster. She said she was woken by a call from a neighbour at around 3am informing her of the tragedy, and immediately began making inquiries before returning to Guyana.
She described Kevin as a responsible and caring family man who made it a point to call home regularly.
"I raised my children to always call and let me know they reached safely. Kevin always did that. He would call me and say, 'Mommy, everything is okay,'" she said.
Petula, remembering her son as an excellent swimmer, believes he may have been asleep when disaster struck.
"He was a very good swimmer, but I think he was trapped inside the vessel. When Kevin sleeps, he sleeps deeply," she said.
Before joining the Transport and Harbours Department, Kevin served in the Guyana Police Force, where he took part in tactical competitions and was among officers assigned to provide security for the United States Ambassador. His mother said he eventually resigned from the force.
Despite finding employment with the Transport and Harbours Department, Kevin frequently expressed dissatisfaction with the demanding schedule and conditions aboard the vessel.
"He always complained that there was no time to rest. Sometimes he would come home today and have to leave again at four the next morning," Petula said.
She also said crew members faced inadequate living conditions, including limited laundry facilities, forcing workers to take home bags of dirty clothing because they could not properly wash and dry it while on board.
As relatives, friends and neighbours continue to mourn his passing, Petula is calling for a thorough review of the vessel's condition.
Kevin Wilson is being remembered by those who knew him as respectful, kind-hearted and hardworking.
