MAKING LEMONADE

January 1999 Table of Contents - Current Issue of The Abaco Journal - Abaco Bahamas' Home Page

MAKING LEMONADE

Many people were amazed to see the photographs of the 5th November twister that damaged Treasure Cay, both on the Internet that evening and in the next morning's edition of The Tribune, Nassau's leading newspaper.

It was not so long ago that a simple overseas call from Abaco would take hours, sometimes days to complete. BaTelCo has done well by Abaco and we now take the miraculous for granted.

The process of putting the photographs on the Internet was enabled by Troy Albury and his excellent staff at Marsh Harbour's Photo Shop. The Advanced Photo System photographs were ready within the hour and taken up to Ian Sands at Sand Bank.

Here's where the story gets interesting. Ian is Abaco's computer wiz who can put photographs, presentations and voices up on the Internet. Every Thursday he records the weather forecast from Radio Abaco's Silbert Mills and sends Silbert's authoritative and inimitable voice over the Ethernet to Abaco and Australia (and all points in between). Ian tends web sites that promote various aspects of life and commerce on Abaco which are stunningly beautiful. Check them out yourself at www.oii.net.

Ian spends several hours a day sitting at his computer. Unfortunately, if he wasn't sitting at his computer he'd be sitting somewhere else.

Ian Sands was an Abaco Central High School student seven years ago, moving during the summer vacation from Grade 10 to Grade 11. But on 15th August of that fateful summer he and some friends amused themselves by diving off the Cherokee Sound dock. You know how lively and athletic teenage boys are. Ian remembers nothing of it. He dived into the water and his life was changed forever. He was instantly paralysed from the neck down.

"My friends who were with me say I dived into the water feet first, so it's hard to say how it happened," said Ian in November of this year. Ian was rescued from the water when it was apparent something was badly wrong.

The son of Derek and Ruth Sands, Ian was rushed to hospital in Florida where his injuries were assessed. In October 1991 he was transferred to Shriner's Hospital in Chicago where he underwent extensive treatment and therapy. He finished his therapy in West Palm Beach and graduated from high school in 1994.

Although confined to a mechanical chair, Ian has made great progress and is a very independent young man. It was a Treasure Cay resident, Phil English, who suggested to Ian that working with a computer might just be what he would enjoy. Unfortunately, Phil English died before much could be done, but other residents of Treasure Cay helped. Jackie Wilson was one, and another - who became Ian's computer teacher - in an 'Aw, shucks' way doesn't want his name mentioned.

Ian is still paying for his computer and scanning equipment but is able to do so through his Internet earnings. So many people in Ian's position have had to accept a life of dependence and frustration. Ian has made the most of his opportunities and in the future will be able to do even more.

Life dealt Ian Sands a great big sour and he's making the sweetest lemonade out of it.

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