Former Calypso monarch Dr Leroy Calliste (Black Stalin) had a stroke on Sunday night but is improving quickly and could be discharged today or tomorrow. “He is stable. He is speaking. He had his lunch and he is improving very quickly,” said Dr Anand Chatoorgoon, medical director, San Fernando Teaching Hospital. Stalin, who celebrates his 73rd birthday tomorrow, Republic Day, had a mild stroke that affected his right side.
Chatoorgoon said Calliste was fully conscious, although a stroke could affect a person’s ability to swallow and eat on his own. “We have found a bed for him in the new teaching hospital and we are doing everything to make him comfortable because after all he is one of our icons and we are certainly going to take wonderful and loving care of him,” he said. But Stalin’s wife, Patsy Calliste, is urging the nation to continue to pray for his full recovery.
She said her husband had performed earlier on Sunday evening at an event at the Couva Joylanders pan theatre. The couple live in Pleasantville and have three children, Shaka, Keina and Abiola. Patsy said: “He came back home and was lying down on the bed playing with the grandchildren. While talking to the grands, he told one of them his back was hurting and he asked one of the bigger grands, Keegan, to rub his back.
“He continued talking and laughing with them making lots of jokes.” Around the same time, she said, Keina came into the room and saw Keegan staring at him on the bed. “Keina looked at Keegan and asked him what happened but he did not answer and she turn and saw Stalin ‘kilketay’ (lopsided) on the bed and she called me.” Patsy said when she rushed into the room, she realised he may have suffered a stroke and immediately called the ambulance. She said Stalin suffered with high blood pressure.
Yesterday, Ward 10 at the new San Fernando Teaching Hospital, where he is being cared for, was overflowing with fans concerned about his well-being. Among them, the T&T Guardian learned, was Justice Gillian Lucky. By yesterday evening, visitors were being restricted and nurses were only letting in people whose names were on a list. Chatoorgoon said it was up to the family to allow visitors.
Trinbago Unified Calypsonians’ Organisation (TUCO) president Brother Resistance sent best wishes to Stalin and said TUCO was standing by to assist in what ever way it could.