Pat Wright Living life the Wright Way

BY SIMONE J. SMITH

“You could step outside now, and a bus hit you down and kill you. A lot of people are likely to die before I do.” Pat Wright

While in Jamaica, I had the opportunity to meet an individual who not only impacted the way that I look at life but also the way that I look at death. As I write this woman-empowered story, I must be mindful to not give everything away. After sharing what I have learned, I would advise everyone to read the story of Pat Wright; the woman who beat cancer five times and won. This incredible story gives an intricate look into the life of a woman who suffered in ways that are unimaginable, and yet, upon meeting her, you would never know that she has experienced a disease that has conquered many. I would like to take this time to introduce to you, Ms. Pat Wright.

After battling cancer for 40 years, Pat Wright is now the proud owner of Wright Life, Natural Products & Live Food Eatery. Wright Life was introduced to Montego Bay in 2016 and is currently the only food restaurant in Montego Bay that specializes in raw, live food. Along with being a restaurant owner, she is the matriarch of her family and has two sons: Saj, and Peter, who have helped her in openly sharing her story. Everyone wanted her to write a book, but Pat was completely against writing another self-help book. She is not into the pity party, nor does she want to continue to live with the trials and tribulations of her past; she shares her story so that it serves as a guide and compass to help others find ways to love, forgive, and endure.

“If I die tomorrow, I have lived a good life!” (Interview Quote)

Pat speaks proudly of the fact that she had a really good childhood. Unlike other children she grew up with, she was gifted with wonderful parents who showered her with gifts and love, even though they were not her birth parents. Pat informed me that she was the second legal adoption in Jamaica, with her cousin Horace being the first. What made her adoption so unique is the fact that her adoptive parents were first cousins, which for many might be strange, but Pat does a great job of explaining how that came to be, and the love that she experienced with them.

Even on her now slender five-foot-two frame, you can see the diva that exists within. Being adopted by wealthy parents allowed her to experience a different lifestyle than most children her age; she traveled regularly, had beautiful clothes, and had help opening one of the fanciest, and prestigious hair salons in Jamaica. Even with her enviable lifestyle, there was hurt and pain that existed within, which is one of the reasons that at the age of 24, she was diagnosed with colon cancer.

“I learned with shock and horror that the next thing that would happen would be bringing up feces through my mouth because my colon was completely blocked.”(Page 83, The Wright Life)

The colon cancer appeared after her first marriage to a gentleman named Esmond Jarrett, that at that time was a member of Jamaica’s number one band. She had married out of lust, not necessarily love, which is something that many of us can relate too. She had her first son Saj with Esmond, but they did not work out, so Pat had to not only recover from colon cancer, she had to mend a broken heart, and take care of a newborn child. In her book, she speaks of the many mistakes she made as a new mother. One story that I found particularly interesting is when she threw her five-week-old son in the pool because she had read that the earlier you start children swimming, the better it is for them. She had also read that babies were natural swimmers, so in went Saj. After explaining to angry lifeguards why she had thrown her five-week-old son into a pool, she realized that she had a lot more to learn about parenting.

 “Mi nuh fight so hard fi live, for you fi come kill me!”

In her story, Pat speaks vividly about her battle with: bone cancer, breast cancer twice, and a revisit of colon cancer. In total Pat has had 27 surgeries, and the only thing that I noticed when speaking with her was that she had a slight shake. It is no surprise after everything that she has had to go through. She had gone through: two divorces, the removal of her reproductive organs, the loss of both sets of parents (birth and adoptive), and yet Pat stands as a beacon of hope for many in Jamaica. People will call her when they find out that they have cancer and ask for help. During our interview, she told the group of journalists that after a few conversations with a cancer patient, she knows who is going to make it, and who is not going to make it. She emphasizes that a person has to be willing to make some changes in their life, or no number of radiation or chemotherapy will help them.

I hope I did my best highlighting how special this book is, and why reading this book could very well change your life. At the end of the book, she reminds the reader that one must live in the moment, not in the past or in the future. Live from moment to moment and make the best of whatever circumstances God has presented you with. Her book, “The Wright Life; How I Fought and Beat Cancer More than Once,“ can be found on Amazon, and I can promise after reading Pat’s story, you will never look at life or death the same way again.