Patrick Saywer has become infamous for being the Liberian-American who brought the Ebola virus into Nigeria.
Mr. Sawyer travelled into the country for a conference despite knowing he was infected with the highly contagious disease. He died in Lagos on July 25.
Since then, Nigerians, and even his fellow Liberians, have castigated the man for his recklessness and wickedness.
However, his wife, Decontee, who is a radio host in New York, has defended her husband actions.
In an article published on TMZ Liberia Magazine with words culled from her Facebook page, she said: “I’ve read other reports in other papers about Patrick’s “recklessness.” I get where they’re coming from, and they certainly have the right to feel the way they do.
However, as Patrick’s widow, I would like to shed some light on this from another perspective. One that only I, his wife, would know,” she wrote.
“I knew Patrick better than anybody else (including himself). He had told me many times in the past how much he didn’t trust the Liberian healthcare system.
He would tell me about how a person would get checked in for one thing, and get misdiagnosed and get the wrong treatment as a result. On top of that, Patrick was a clean freak, and told me how filthy a lot of the hospitals were.
“He didn’t tell me this, but I know in my heart of hearts that Patrick was determined to get to Nigeria by all means because he felt that Nigeria would be a place of refuge.
He has expressed to me many times in the past that he felt passionately about helping to be a part of strengthening Liberia’s healthcare system, but he knew it wasn’t there yet, and he wouldn’t want to take a chance with his life because a lot of people depended on him… Patrick had a passion for life, and he wouldn’t have wanted his to end.
So, I bet anything that he was thinking, if I could only get to Nigeria, a way more developed country than Liberia, I would be able to get some help. How ironic.”
“Patrick went to Nigeria for help so that he can get properly diagnosed, and not misdiagnosed in Liberia. And if it came back that he did have Ebola, he trusted the Nigerian healthcare system a lot more than he trusted the Liberian’s. His action, as off as it was, was a desperate plea for help. Patrick didn’t want to die, and he thought his life would be saved in Nigeria.”
A total of 3 deaths and 7 confirmed cases of Ebola have been recorded in Nigeria including Sawyer himself and people who had primary contact with him.
Nigeria was Ebola free before Sawyer travelled on 2 planes into the country. President Goodluck Jonathan described him as a crazy man while Nigeria's Health Minister, Onyebuchi Chukwu accused him of placing unnecessary stress on the nation's healthcare system. God Bless Nigeria
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