Fmr. Pageant trainer and political activist Marvin Pearce loses battle with COVID-19 in the US

Family members announced his passing on social media. Pearce had been hospitalised for several days in the intensive care unit after contracting the coronavirus. According to close relatives, he made a turn for the worst over the weekend and passed away early this morning.

Fmr. Pageant trainer and political activist Marvin Pearce loses battle with COVID-19 in the US

Well known Guyanese political activist and former pageant trainer, Marvin Pearce, lost his battle to the coronavirus in New Jersey this morning.

Family members announced his passing on social media. Pearce had been hospitalised for several days in the intensive care unit after contracting the coronavirus.

According to close relatives, he made a turn for the worst over the weekend and passed away early this morning.

His last social media post was on the 2nd of April when he announced that he was removing himself from social media until the coronavirus was over.

“May God keep us safe”, were the last words in that Facebook post.

Pearce’s death has devastated not just his family and close friends, but many who worked along with him during the recent elections campaign.

The 44-year-old was a supporter and activist of the APNU+AFC coalition and worked in the New Jersey area as part of their overseas campaigning team. He was last in Guyana back in March to ensure he voted in the elections.

When he was back in Guyana for the March elections, he was spotted with other supporters of the APNU+AFC coalition, in a get out the vote drive.

Longtime member and supporter of the People’s National Congress Lurline Nestor, worked along with Pearce during the recent elections campaign.

She said his death has left her lost for words.

“We’ve come a mighty long way, way back from our GYSM days. We talked, texted and share our thoughts freely. You made it a duty to travel home to cast your vote. We linked up prior to elections. You agreed to work in a specific location you did your stint there then called to say you needed to be with me for the rest of the day”, Nestor remembered.

Before migrating several years ago, Pearce was well known and loved in the pageant circles as he worked as a pageant trainer with the Simpli Royal group which produced Miss Guyana Talented Teen and other promoters.

Some of his past beauty queens joined others in leaving tribute on his Facebook page. One of his close friends and former Miss Guyana Talented Teen and Miss West Indies Asha Pieters-Munroe said she remains in shock.

“I’m at a loss for words, my heart is completely broken and shattered into pieces, I’m not myself at this time. God give his family strength. I don’t know how to feel or what to do”, she wrote in a tribute as she remarked that the Simpli Royal group will never be the same with his passing.

Another former beauty queen, Shamaine Davis wrote “Damn you COVID! You know it doesn’t feel real until you have truly lost someone you love. If I could tell you how many wonderful years of my life I have had with this man. He was truly an authentic person. You know at some point in our lives we are scared of who we truly are, we are scared to show people the real deal, But not Marvin Pearce”.

The Head of the Simpli Royal pageant company, Pamela Dillon simply wrote “It is a sad time for Simpli Royal, RIP my son”.

Away from the crowning moments and the glitz of the pageant stage, Pearce became very involved in political activism in the past ten years.

Pearce’s Facebook page has been flooded with tributes from his relatives and friends and the many others with whom he crossed paths.

Even some of those he often argued with on social medial about politics, joined in sharing their thoughts about him, remembering him as fun-loving and respectful and someone who loved Guyana unconditionally.

Devastated family members remain in shock at his passing.

Coronavirus has claimed the lives of more than 50 Guyanese in the New York and New Jersey areas alone.

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