ROSE HEIGHTS, St James — Paul Gibson’s dream of making it big in the construction industry turned into a nightmare 16 years ago when a worksite accident involving high voltage electricity wires left him with both legs amputated just below the hips.

With the help of doctors, relatives and a few friends, together with his positive outlook, the then fledgling builder was out of hospital almost eight months after the mishap, which also left him with burns on significant portions of his body.

Now, the Rose Heights double amputee is determined to eke out a living for himself, despite the odds.

Well respected and greatly admired in the inner-city community of Rose Heights for his resilience and hard work, Gibson still harbours thoughts of becoming one of the best builders in western Jamaica.

Apart from his ability to be engaged in several aspects of construction, the Trelawny native, who moved to the resort city of Montego Bay shortly after the destruction to the island wrought by Hurricane Gilbert in September 1988 to seek a better living, is a fine upholsterer and an excellent baker.

Some area residents have described him as a ‘jack of all trades’.

“He is a good baker, he cooks for the community, he does upholstery work, he builds houses and fowl coops… he can do almost everything in the construction business…dig the foundation, do the steel work, lay the blocks, lay the tiles…,” said Vivinne Black,” a Rose Heights resident, who has known Gibson for more than two decades.

When the Jamaica Observer West news team visited the community recently, Gibson was hard at work constructing a building for Black, which she said, will serve as a business establishment.

“I trust him to build my shop, he is a good builder and he has built many houses in the community, even though he has no legs. He is really a good community man,” Black emphasised.

Derron Black, another resident, added that Gibson is also good at climbing trees.

“He climbs coconut and breadfruit trees faster than any man with foot. Him really good,” he quipped.

The 51-year-old Gibson told the Observer West, however, that it was not smooth sailing after he was discharged from hospital.

In fact, he said he was dealt another hard blow, when his wife of several years decided to end their relationship.

“So I couldn’t go back to the matrimonial home. I had to rent a place in Irwin, but after about three months I had to leave there because the landlord raise up the rent on me, so I could no longer afford it,” said Gibson.

He said he spent the next several months living in old cars and under boats on a section of the Montego Bay waterfront, until he was evicted.

“I was living there until one day them [authorities] came and move the boats and the old cars, so I had to move, leaving me with nowhere to go,” said an emotional Gibson.

“But, luckily a friend was passing at the time and saw what was happening and he decided to put me up at his unfinished house in the Rose Heights area.”

Gibson said after several months he was able to save enough money from donations to buy a few sheets of plyboard, which enabled him to construct a house of his own on Government-owned property in the community.

Since then, he said, “things have improved somewhat”, noting that he has managed to get a few jobs to build houses and to do “some upholstery work”.

But in spite of this, Gibson said he is in need of equipment to improve his business.

“I badly need a sewing machine to do the upholstery work, so I can expand the business and employ a few persons,” said Gibson, as he urged people with disabilities not to give up, despite the odds.