ST ELIZABETH, Jamaica – Shock was the general feeling among the Powell family in Jamaica, following news on October 18 that their celebrated relative, former United States Secretary of State Colin Powell, had died at 84.

Powell, who was fully vaccinated, died of complications from COVID-19. He had been ailing with both myeloma, a type of bone marrow cancer and Parkinson’s disease. Both are known to trigger a lower immune response to the novel coronavirus, even in fully vaccinated persons.

Apart from being the first black individual to serve as America’s top diplomat, Powell was also the first African American to serve as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the US Army. He had risen to the rank of a four-star general during his 35-years in the army. At one point during his illustrious career, he was the most admired person in the United States and in 1996 found himself  being pressured by the Republican Party to run for the presidency against the incumbent President Bill Clinton. However, he declined.

A visit by OBSERVER ONLINE to Top Hill in the southern Jamaica parish of St Elizabeth found relatives who spoke glowingly of their highly accomplished relative who was born in Harlem, New York to Jamaican parents. They remembered him as a kind and humble man.  

First cousin to Powell, David Powell, told our news team that he recalled how welcoming his cousin was when they were meeting for the first time in 1996. 

“He came to visit some time ago and we had a good time, being the first time that I was seeing him. He was elated to meet the family and those he did not see before,” said David. He added that the reason for Powell’s visit was to connect to his roots and write his autobiography. 

Pointing to his military career, David also stated, “You feel elated knowing you have somebody (as family) high up in the American army. It gives you a sense of pride. We learnt much about him and his work being a soldier in the army. We even got to understand more about his immediate family and he really did have a good time with us sitting and talking.” 

Visibly saddened at Powell’s death, David said “it’s always a sad story when somebody passes.” 

Another cousin, 46-year-old Marion Swaby was unable to hold back the tears when she spoke about the American diplomat. 

“We are related by my mom’s side. It [his death] was unexpected so it was kind of shocking. It was hard because having a family member who makes you feel so good and then losing them is hard,” she told OBSERVER ONLINE. 

Despite the tears streaming down her cheeks, Swaby was quick to add that she felt proud when she met him for the first time. 

“It was a very, very proud moment, I enjoyed that. He was the same humble, nice loving and caring person. He was just down to earth and caring. He was a good person,” Swaby stated. 

“Another time (during his 1996 visit) he came without his security because he wanted to be (alone) with the family. He didn’t want all the security around him, because you know when he came the security nah go want nobody to come up on him and he really didn’t enjoy that. Everybody was very excited,” Swaby added.

For 72-year-old Darret Powell, a third cousin, “Meeting him for the first time, he was so generous. It ‘come in’ like he was here for a long time with us. [While] doing some cooking he came and him take the spoon and tek it [the food] out a di pot and ask what this is, and I say, ‘this is curry goat’.” 

Adding that after tasting the manish water that she prepared, Darrett stated, “Him say, ‘Man, this is the real Jamaican stuff. He was so pleasant with the whole of us, you know. We had a lovely time with him and he took pictures with us”. 

Addressing his death, Darrett said: “Oh God, me feel it, and now knowing that we can’t be at his funeral with the COVID. May his soul rest in peace and we will always remember him.”

One neighbor, Ryan Graham who is the caretaker for the family cemetery also chimed in. He remembered when Powell flew a helicopter into Top Hill. 

“From I was ’bout seven him did pitch a helicopter here one time. It caused a lot of excitement; first time me a see one helicopter. But when me hear seh him dead, me shock, cya believe,” Graham said. 

In addition to contracting COVID-19, Powell battled multiple myeloma, a cancer of plasma cells that suppresses the body’s immune response as well as Parkinson’s.  He was a distinguished solider who served 35 years in the military including stints in Vietnam. He was the first black US National Security Adviser under President Ronald Reagan.

According to CNN, his national popularity soared in the aftermath of the US-led coalition victory during the First Gulf War, and for a time in the mid-90s, he was considered a leading contender to run for the presidency on the Republican Party ticket.

However, his reputation would be forever stained when, as George W. Bush’s first Secretary of State, he was tasked with pushing faulty intelligence before the United Nations to advocate for the Iraq War, which he would later call a “blot” on his record.

No weapons of mass destruction were found in Iraq as Powell claimed and the face of the Middle East has been forever changed by that and subsequent wars.