Part II: From homeless to homeownership to Melissa
Keith R. Wedderburn’s story of triumph
Published:Saturday | December 13, 2025 | 12:08 AMPaul W. Williams/Gleaner Writer
On October 28, Hurricane Melissa tore through Keith R. Wedderburn’s organic farm in Bluefields, Westmoreland, flooding his home, ripping away his solar panels, flattening a small board house on his property, lifting sections of his mother’s roof and halting tours of his farm. Yet, he says, none of this compares with the period in his life when he was homeless.
In his 2024 book, From Homelessness to a Healing Haven – The Rise of a Thriving Entrepreneur, Wedderburn recounts how, as a young father, he, his wife and their daughter were evicted by their landlord.
“We were in the throes of securing suitable lodgings for our young family in the aftermath of the illegal eviction. We forged various plans and undertook myriad attempts on this journey ... . It was beginning to look like we were in this for a long haul, as the arduous task of finding housing accommodation felt emotionally depleting. This challenge was further shrouded by us having to cope with the less-than-favourable situations involved with our temporary stay at my parents’ home,” he writes.
“I often wondered if we had not been through enough, as things worsened when my parents expressed the need for the space we occupied. They told us that they needed to prepare it for members of their congregation for an upcoming church ceremony.”
As he and his wife, Sandra, continued their search for a home, pressure from both sets of parents mounted. They identified a piece of family land “in the wilderness” and, out of desperation, began preparing to occupy it. Then, by chance, they came across a small board house for sale in their community. A deal was struck and, within three months, the transaction was complete.
“Finally, we had a house of our own. Sandra and I were now beaming with pride. It felt surreal in some ways as, months ago, we did not have anywhere to go, and here we were now, with a space we could call our own,” he writes in Chapter One, titled ‘The Divine Detour’.
The family’s journey took them from homelessness to a modest board house, and eventually to a two-storey concrete structure—part of which now serves as the villa and spa component of his business, Bluefields Organic Farm and Haven View Villa and Spa. The once-homeless photographer is today the owner of an accommodation enterprise.
Then came Melissa. The storm destroyed the little board house, battered his windows and doors, and made a deafening racket. Wedderburn says he did not panic. While securing a window, he stood his ground for four hours until the storm passed. He had outlasted Melissa, but the task of rebuilding lay ahead.
Rising Again
Reflecting on the ordeal, he told The Gleaner: “I realised that this would have been a great challenge. However, again, I wasn’t looking for the challenge … I was focused on the opportunities … . Not just to make the farm rise, but also to be an example to others … . The fact that we did it 30 years ago, we already have a blueprint … From day one, we started out, and we said to ourselves that we want to make Bluefields Organic Farm, Haven View Villa and Spa the first establishment to get back on its feet … I’m happy to say today that we are on the path of achieving same … .
“Thirty years ago, we were homeless … when we came to this community and we were homeless, we were pretty much the underdogs … to move from that position today be sheltering persons left, right and shelter, that is a humbling experience … for 30 years to be the one that persons were looking down on, it’s like in the Bible, the stone that the builder refuses to becoming chief cornerstone.”
Wedderburn’s story is one of reinvention: a photographer evicted with his young family who went on to build a home, a business and a refuge for others — even during Hurricane Melissa, one of the fiercest storms he has faced and one he is already overcoming.
He has another book forthcoming, Give Thanks For Life – Surviving Hurricane Melissa, now available for pre-order on Kindle. He reveals: “This book is more than a story. It is a testimony of survival, gratitude, and the strength that shows up when life pushes us to the limits.”
Before publication, he told The Gleaner: “I will also share other persons’ experiences, which tie in with what I also experienced. The hope of that book is to inspire persons, to say, if Keith and his wife and family can do it, so can we … . Having risen 30 years ago, we didn’t rise alone, we rode on the backs of other persons.”