Dalton Laing, Gleaner Writer
Sophia Bent, a resident of Beeston Spring, in Westmoreland, displays her damaged arms. Ms. Bent lost four fingers and sustained several chops to her head when she was attacked by her machete-wielding ex-boyfriend in March of this year. - Dalton Laing/Freelance Photographer
SAVANNA-LA-MAR, Westmoreland
WHEN SOPHIA Bent, a 30-year-old clerical assistant at the Salem All-Age and Junior High School in Beeston Spring, Westmoreland, went to school on the morning of March 21, she had no idea that it would mark a turning point in her life.
She was brutally attacked by her 45-year-old estranged boyfriend who tried to hack her to death in full view of students.
Across the Nation recently visited the quaint community of Coffee Gully in the heart of Beeston Spring to hear her account of the tragedy and her miraculous survival.
"I arrived at school but instead of walking up the path, the driver took me instead," Sophia said.
While she was in her office, Michael Ebanks, a farmer of Black River in St. Elizabeth, came in and attacked her. Ebanks, without thought of his eight-year-old son, a student at the school, chopped her repeatedly in the face and upper body.
In a bid to escape the onslaught and certain death, she ran outside and was pursued. The chase, however, ended quickly as the terrified woman fell and broke both arms.
"At the school when he was chopping me, I lost consciousness for a while," the mother of two boys recalled. "That was when I fell and broke my hands. I came back (regained consciousness) after a while and was in and out of consciousness."
Ms. Bent sustained seven large cuts to her head and numerous lacerations on both hands. Luckily she passed out and Ebanks, believing she was dead, fled the scene. But he only made it as far as the main road where citizens caught up with him and beat him to death.
"When he was chopping me and no one was coming to help me, I gave up for a while, but after I had blocked out and came back, I saw that he had left me alone and I started getting some confidence," Ms. Bent said.
NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE
With the physical scars bearing testament
to her near death experience, Ms. Bent is now seeking to look past her seven cuts to the head, two of which are noticeable to the side of her face and several on both hands, four missing fingers (the two smallest on both hands) and seek emotional stability. When her casts are removed next week, she will face a new chapter in her life.
"I was fearful at first but now I think I will overcome. I am still troubled by the fact that I will have the scars for life," she said.
Devon Anglin, guidance counsellor at the Salem school, said everything is back to normal at the institution.
"The school has settled down quite well and things are back to normal ... the children were somewhat fearful at first but now they are back to normal and the school is in full operation," he remarked.
