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Thank you Mum for
everything
By SHEILA LASIBORI
"She was everything. She was a daddy and a mummy to us and I
dedicate everything, what I do here to her,"
These were the words of 18-year-old Stanis Susuve, a rising
football star, of his mother Molly Susuve who died tragically on
February 9, this year.
Young Stanis is currently on a scholarship attached with the
Zilmere Eagles in Brisbane.
"My mother was a single mother. She tried all her best to bring us
up, but the sad thing is she didn't benefit from us," 16-year-old
Grace uttered as tears rolled down her cheeks.
Grace was the only one of her five siblings to share the last
laughter with the mother and hold her hand moments before Molly
lost her life through electrocution.
Molly Susuve, 43 from Mirivase village in Malalaua district of
Gulf province was electrocuted when she held onto an iron bar for
support while taking a short cut through an opening in a fence
into the Taurama Leisure Centre in NCD.
Grace, Molly and a female relative were going to the AFL
Development Office at Taurama to collect typed school lessons for
her mothers' elementary class at Kaugere primary school. There had
earlier been a heavy downpour in the city.
Grace recalled that her mother while holding her hand reached for
an iron bar as she went through the opening in the fence. As soon
as her mother held onto the iron bar she went stiff.
"I was just shocked and did not know what to do,"
But she knew her mother was electrocuted because she felt the
electric current pull on her hand that her mother was holding.
Within seconds Molly's body stiffened and fell to the ground,
smoke was seen coming out from her wrists.
PNG Power officers were alerted, they came and switched off the
electricity supply and Molly's body was taken to Port Moresby
General Hospital by the St John's Ambulance.
"I thought we would go to the hospital and everything would be
fine," Grace said.
"But at the layout room they told me that my mum was already
dead,' she said.
Molly was born on June 26, 1964 at Mirivase village, where her
parents were community school teachers.
Molly attended Lalavaipi community school in 1970s and Malalaua
high school.
She went on to Lae Technical College and acquired certificates in
basic secretarial courses in 1978. She worked with the Foreign
Affairs department and later OK Tedi Mining Ltd (OTML) as a
secretary.
Molly and her three children, David, Stanis and Grace were in Lae
when she participated as an official during the Ninth South
Pacific Games in 1991.
She moved her family back to NCD and worked with the Department of
Civil Aviation from 1992-1993.
Molly decided to become a teacher so in 1996 she started attending
elementary teachers' courses under an AusAID funded program
through the Education Department.
Molly completed ten modules of the course then registered as an
elementary teacher and taught for 11 years until her tragic death
on February 9.
David remembers his mother for her never-ending encouragement for
success to them in whatever career path they chose.
David regrets that his mother lost her life because of "total
negligence" by relevant authorities to monitor and fix exposed
live wires.
David wants to become a teacher and has completed a two year
course in tourism and hospitality associated with teaching.
"It is interesting to be a teacher because you deal with students
and also getting to know them. It's good to carry on the name," he
said.
"Mum gave us courage to be on our own."
Molly was taken home and laid to rest at Mirivase village and her
mother Mora, now a widow has taken responsibility of her six
children.
"I am now a mother again like I did not have any children of my
own," she said.
The family of the late Molly Susuve extended their appreciation to
families, students and friends for the support during the mourning
period.
Molly is survived by five children David, Stanis, Grace, Kingsley
and Julmar.
This Sunday as families celebrate Mothers Day, they will quietly
remember their mother. They would give anything to feel again her
warm and loving presence.
 
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