My wife died when our twins were 6 years old; We keep his memory living

• Bernard James’ wife, Corlette, died of cancer in 2009.
• He had 6 -year -old twins and several companies.
• After his death, he moved across the country for a new star

This test as told is based on a conversation with Bernard Jamesowner of Taste of the Caribbean the. It was published for duration and clarity.

I moved to the United States from Guyana when I was a teenager and I started working for my uncle’s plumbing company in New York. We did a lot of business with another construction company, and one day my uncle asked me if I had seen the girl working in the office there. “She’s so beautiful,” he said.

So I called the company’s office, knowing that Corlette would answer the phone. Soon we were at our first meeting. I was only 19 years old and Corlette was five years older than me. She knew exactly what she wanted: having children, buying a property and finding a church house. It was a lion, and I could see what a powerful woman she was.

Our twins were 6 years old when Corlette died

Corlette and I are married at 22, and a few years later, she was pregnant with twins. I earned about $ 1,500 a week working for my uncle, but I knew I could do more by myself. I started my own plumbing business and bought a building in Brooklyn during pregnancy. I intended to renovate it slowly and open a restaurant. Corlette still headed her family’s business.

Everything happened both: babies and businesses. Fortunately, Corlette was a strong and strong woman. She lit a room when she entered it, but in business, she ordered respect.

We were busy, and it was a surprise when Corlette received a cancer diagnosis in December 2008. Her health quickly dropped. She died in 2009 when our twins were only 6 years old.

I moved to California for a new start

The next few years were not an easy road. I always had the plumbing company and the restaurant to stay afloat, as well as the business terminals to bond for the company of Corlette. A nanny helped me with the twins, and I also moved my sister to help.

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However, stress looked like a monkey on the back. I started thinking about a new start. Corlette and I had visited California together, and I had commented on that there was no food from the Caribbean. I thought it would be a good place to develop my catering business.

I moved to California in 2013. Traffic navigation to bring children to school and work late in my catering truck was difficult.

I have competitions in honor of Corlette

Finally, I developed my company in California of a catering truck in brick and mortar locations. Today we have restaurants in Long Beach and Hollywood. My twins, who are now 22, have grown up in the business, bus tables and people. Now my son works with me and has 30% of the business. My daughter has chosen to open a marketing business because she did not want the calendar requiring a restaurant.

Corlette has died for 15 years, but I still think of her often. I wonder where my business would be if she was still alive because she was such a powerful businesswoman. The twins and I always collect funds for cancer in the memory of Corlette, including through our Miss Caribbean competitions. We want to keep their mother’s name alive, and it works.

At the same time, I live my life. I have a 3 year old son who was a pandemic baby. We call it a small chef. He and his mother live with me and the twins. I did not remarry, but I widened my family.