FOR some commuters on their way home from work, a break at ‘Stop-A-Gap’, manned by Hubert Chang, 59, for whom the fruit stall was named, refuels them for the traffic that snail its way up to their Norbrook, Cherry Gardens, Waterworks, Stony Hill, or Armour Heights homes.

They can still stop there for their American apples, grapes and local bananas, pineapples and juice.

But Stop-a-Gap’s joyful face and witty jokes, a critical ingredient and drawing card, won’t be a part of their evening routine anymore.

Chang was shot four times on Friday, December 10, somewhere between 2:30 pm and 3:00 pm and later succumbed to his injuries.

His son, Michael Chang, briefly recounts the sad tale:

“It is said that that Friday afternoon, two men shot him and took a box that had around $4,000 to $5,000 and escaped in a vehicle. I wasn’t here at the time, and no-one can identify the men.”

A cop at the Constant Spring Police Station has no further leads: “Two men shot him (Chang) and escaped via a waiting vehicle. Two workers were on site, but say they can’t identify the men.”

The entrepreneur left three children – Michael, Wayne, the eldest, and Trisha, the youngest.

Trisha resides in New York with her mother, Hazel Chang, but both boys had opted to stay in Jamaica with their father despite all three being greencard holders. For now, the boys are keeping the fruits stand going.

“He had permanent papers, but he didn’t want to go up. And the boys wanted to stay here with him,” said Hazel Chang, his wife of 34 years.

But Wayne, at least, has changed his mind about staying. “Right now, if I could leave tomorrow, I gone. I feel scared,” he admits to the Observer.

Disillusioned, Wayne doesn’t put much confidence in the police force. “The crime rate is out of their hands. Nothing will change until they get rid of the bad politicians.”

But brother Michael, 34, has a different view.

“I’m all for the new police commissioner (Lucius) Thomas. He was my father’s schoolmate at Murray Mount Primary school (in St Ann). My father always spoke highly of him, so I’m sure he would do better.”

Michael has some advice for commissioner-designate Thomas: “I would like them to have more police patrols.” He also suggests that sentencing should include more community work for convicted felons.

Talking to the Observer by phone, Thomas acknowledged his childhood friendship with the late Hubert Chang.

“He was a good friend of mine. He dedicated his life to people. He was a lively businessman from school days and I’m not surprised that he was successful. When I got the call on January 3rd that he died the day before, I was shocked,” Thomas said, with a tinge of anger.

Chang’s funeral is this Wednesday at the Stella Maris Church along Shortwood Road in St Andrew. But residents in and around the Constant Spring area are not waiting till then to show their support.

“Last night, they had this big candle light stay-up for him. About 200 people and cars packed the road. He was popular,” Hazel tells the Observer during a visit last Wednesday.

Outside of his wit and charm, much of Stop-a-Gap’s popularity came from his charity. He wasn’t just a businessman.

He was a community man who stopped the rat infestation at the nearby Constant Spring police station by setting traps and poison and picking up the dead rats by hand.

He also gave fruits, food and beverages to the 86 year-old Wortley Home for Girls at 193 Constant Spring Road, located in view of his stall.

“We were infested with rats and the morning after he set the rat trap and poison, he picked them up himself with his hands and paper. He’s a very kind person who gave fruits to the police often,” said Constable Verlette Campbell, who still forgets to refer to Chang in the past tense.

“He’ll even stop my car in the mornings and give me a fruit package.”

Campbell said Stop-a-Gap even gave her ants powder after she complained about the insects invading her office, and he once told her his life story – one which she considers “motivational”.

“He told me how he fell into bankruptcy after years of working locally, went abroad and then came back with determination and US$300. He said that he started selling fruits out of a vehicle that he rented for $2,000 a day and then stepped it up from there,” says Campbell.

House mother Delores Bailey, who oversees the welfare of 12 girls at Wortley, says Stop-a-Gap was just as concerned about the girls as she was. “He was a very kind and humble person who donated food and anything he had. He was always willing to help in anyway,” she says.

Stop-a-Gap’s family was planning a big 60th birthday bash for him for November 2, this year. Now they are in the final stages of planning his funeral.

“He was a wonderful family man – Godly and giving,” said his widow.