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Marie Sharp Is Managing While Mourning, Deeply
posted (January 29, 2019)
Last night - all the headlines were about the murder of Michael Williams, the 58 year old son of food industry icon, Marie Sharp. It's a tragic loss for the family - but you don't know how tragic until you talk to them. It's the third loved one they've lost this month: Marie's Husband Gerry Sharp died at mid-month, and then her sister's husband, died shortly after. They had just buried him, when Michael was killed.

It's an incomprehensible succession of losses - and today we sat down with Ms. Marie to ask her how she is holding up, and how she's doing. Here's her conversation with Jules Vasquez:..

Marie Sharp, Mother of deceased
"To be honest with you I couldn't believe it. I was at home alone and my brother came to break the news to me, but he just couldn't talk right, so I knew something bad had happened."

Jules Vasquez reporting
Not bad, the worst..

Marie Sharp
"And then he said I don't know how to tell you, I don't know how to say it. Its Mike, he said they shot Mike. I just couldn't believe it. I fell to pieces."

And now, Marie Sharp is trying to hold those pieces together - to be strong for her family:

Reporter
"You're the mother, the grandmother - you have to be strong, but you're also hurting greatly. How are you managing all this Marie?"

Marie Sharp
"To be honest with you I manage all of this with doctors pills. I take a lot medication and try to control myself for my children, my grandchildren. I have to be the strong one in the family. That is the only way I can do it, otherwise I'll just fall to pieces. I've just loss my husband. I'm not even over him yet. He is not even cold in his grave and I have to put up now with my son. Its very hard."

And the hardest part is not knowing why:

Marie Sharp
"Why, Mike was not a bad person Mike was somebody very loving, very giving. He had a loving family. He loved his children. He loved his wife. He was a very loving person. So I couldn't understand why. I know on weekends we would go and have his drinks that he probably maybe loses it or get violent. My thought went about that. I said maybe one day he had some drinks and he insulted somebody or whatever. I Knew he was running around with the woman that he was with, but I can't conceive or understand why anybody would want to kill somebody. In my mind she could be the only reason, because I don't see Mike having enemies, I don't see Mike having doing anything out of the way. He was at my husband's funeral. He was at my brother in law funeral Saturday. They killed him Saturday night. He was there with me Saturday evening. Saturday evening, he came to the vehicle, I was leaving and he gave me a big hug right out there at the gate. Not knowing that the same night they were going to kill him."

She's drowning in grief, but, today, the black bow was pulled back and business as usual continued at this family home/warehouse. She says it's the only thing that's keeping her going:

Marie Sharp
"I have to continue. My business is my children's legacy, my grandchildren's legacy. So I think I have to make sure that my business continues. I am the person that do all the research and development. I develop all the new products, so I try and bury myself in work to sort of like cover my hurt."

And, Sharp had a message for the killers:

Marie Sharp
"The people out there that are doing all this killing have to sit down and think, you kill somebody and you got rid of the person. the person is dead and gone. but think of the family that you leave behind, the one who is bearing all the hurt. That is one of the thing these people who are out there killing should think."

She also had thanks to her many supporters who buy Marie Sharp's sauces:

Marie Sharp
"I am very grateful to all of Belize, because I know that they look at Marie Sharp as dis da fu we and I am very happy and thankful for everybody who has called in to give condolences."

Sharp says - despite all the loss she has endured - she plans to go ahead with the launch of a new hot sauce on Valentine's day.

She had three sons, with two now remaining, and her son Michael also had three sons. There have been no arrests for his murder.

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