Marlon Haye, the boyfriend of Westmoreland burn victim Dacia Forrester, has come out strongly in defence of his girlfriend’s character, insisting that she was not fighting over a man when she was allegedly sprayed with gasoline and set ablaze by a gas station pump attendant on February 19.

There has been very little sympathy shown towards Forrester due to the rumour. Social media users have even blasted her with the meanest of comments. In some of the comments, social media users have even wished death upon her.

This has caused Haye to be livid.

Speaking with the Jamaica Observer on Thursday evening, he said the rumor has affected the pace at which funds are being raised to reach the US$55, 000 needed to cover air ambulance costs to take ‘Tash’ -as she is affectionately called- to the United States for surgery and treatment.

The Burn Foundation of Jamaica and the Crisis Support Charity have been leading the mission to raise funds for Forrester through donations. However, the organisers of both entities have reported that donations have been slow to come in and pointed to the rumor as a direct cause.

“A rumor is going around that it was a man they were fighting over. I need people to take that out of their heads. Is me and Tash live together. This is hindering her from getting support. I don’t know the pump attendant and she don’t know me. How did this even come up is what I would like to know,” a seemingly depressed Haye highlighted.

He referenced an incident at the gas station in January between the pump attendant and Forrester. Haye explained that Forrester went to buy gas for him one Sunday around three weeks ago to put in a generator and when she returned home she shared a story of how she could have died at the gas station.

“When she came, she said you see how mi coulda dead out a gas station. She said she was out there and saw a man buying gas and she stood up waiting. This girl was making change. The gas was for a generator round by my house. She said is like the man was to get $1,000 more in change. Tash had the change so she just handed the man her $1,000 but the pump attendant seems as if she didn’t see that.

“Tash said she was standing up and waiting on the gas and she realised the girl wasn’t serving it. She asked her to throw the gas in the jug and she said the pump attendant was telling her that she didn’t give her any money. That started the argument. She told Tash to go back to the man for the money and Tash went for the money and when the man came he came and said give the girl the gas with the $1,000 change that she was supposed to give him. A deh suh it start from,” he shared.

He claimed that Forrester told him that she was subsequently chased with scissors and that she didn’t retaliate.

“The following morning which was a Monday, Tash went to the police station and reported it. I don’t know where all of this come from where dem a talk bout man and this and that. If the manager out there is willing, he can tell you. I don’t know the pump attendant,” he said.

Haye explained that on the day Forrester was set ablaze, she had gone to purchase gas for a saw to cut up lumber. He said he was looking about his goats when he got the news that Forrester was on fire at the gas station.

Haye implored people to ignore the distractions and help to save his girlfriend’s life as time is slipping away.

“All who can help, please help her. She is in need of it. This story that is going around is not true and it will play out fully sooner or later,” he said.

People wishing to donate may do so via the Burn Foundation of Jamaica, and they can be reached via cell phone at 876-344-7028 or online at crisissupportcharity.org.

They may also visit crisissupportcharity.org/donations/help-dacia-forrester-to-get-burn-care-overseas. The link for the GoFundMe account is gofund.me/ccdabce42.