OCHO RIOS, St Ann — Natalie Scott-Douglas is still struggling to find comfort during what she describes as the “hardest time of her life”, having lost her husband and their son five days apart.

Karl Douglas, 55, died at St Ann’s Bay Regional Hospital on December 1, five days after his 19-year-old son Dorian succumbed to injuries sustained in a two-vehicle crash in Kingston.

The father fell ill and was taken to hospital on November 29, one day after viewing his son’s corpse.

He was hypertensive, his wife disclosed to the Jamaica Observer.

“He had high blood pressure and so I think, with the death of our son, his pressure went up so high that he got the stroke,” she added.

The double-blow was enough to send Scott-Douglas to the doctor on Tuesday.

“There is no way to describe how I am feeling; I am being honest with you. I get a lot of calls and text messages and all I can say is that I am hanging in there. I am just taking it one day at a time… This is the hardest thing; I wouldn’t wish this on anybody,” she said, noting that she has to be strong especially for the other three children she has with her husband. They are 24, 14 and seven years old.

Scott-Douglas said her late son always clung to her, and lived with her in Ocho Rios until recently when he went to Kingston to spend time with his sister.

“He was with his sister in Kingston. He went out with some of his sister’s friends (last week) Friday night and, on their way home, the accident happened,” she explained.

The mother added that, based on information she has received, Dorian drew his last breath while being transported from the crash scene on Old Hope Road to the University Hospital of the West Indies. He was the only casualty from the two-vehicle smash-up.

The mother described her son as honest and respectful.

“He was over-protective of his mommy. Dorian had a smile that, no matter how mad you get at him, once he smiles, that’s it. He was also very respectful. It doesn’t matter what you say, he is just going to smile. I could be blowing steam and Dorian would just stand and smile. Things like that keep me going because I just would remember his smile,” added Scott-Douglas.

She said her son had a lot in common with his father.

“Karl was a no-nonsense person and I would say our four kids also have that personality. Just like Dorian, Karl is going to tell you as it is. Both of them are also loving persons. Karl was a great provider. He was a family person and made sure his family was well taken care of — especially when it came to his kids,” said Scott-Douglas.

In the meantime Amoy Roberts, a friend of Karl Douglas, described him in the same way his wife did: disciplined, frank and family-oriented.

“Karl was a very disciplined man and when you talk about neatness and cleanliness you talk about him. He stands for what he believes in. You could depend on him for anything; for being truthful. Don’t think he is going to polish the truth for you; no he would not,” Roberts told the Observer.

He was well-known throughout the resort town of Ocho Rios where he was involved in the foreign exchange business, she said.