A Mother’s Sacrifice For Son’s Education

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – A mother facing financial struggles says she doesn’t let anything get in the way of providing a quality education for her son. Her story recently went viral on social media, when it was revealed that she would search for free public wifi to make sure her son attended school.

To say that 39-year-old Rita Cartwright is serious about her 12-year-old son, Rashylo Gaston’s education would be an understatement.

Facing financial challenges due to COVID job losses, and educational challenges due to the disruption to face to face learning, Cartwright, a room attendant at a major resort, had to think on her toes.

Falling behind on bills meant that sometimes there was no internet at home but always putting her son’s education first Cartwright wouldn’t be deterred. During the toughest times, she would park outside Superwash to use the company’s free wifi.

Cartwright’s stories reached thousands when she revealed that her son achieved a 3.30 GPA at the end of grade 7 at Jordan Prince Williams Baptist School. It was nearly double his previous semester’s GPA of 1.73.

Cartwright says her willingness to sacrifice for her son is limitless. Even if she didn’t have food to send him to school with, she would send him with some water. For her, it’s brain food before food for your stomach.

While Rashylo and his mom both acknowledge that she is tough on him, his appreciation for her is evident. He says he had to learn to be a more responsible student during the pandemic, like taking the time on his own to grasp the concepts being taught to him.

While he isn’t sure what he wants to pursue after highschool, his interests are out of this world.

When Rashylo’s Primary School announced that it wouldn’t have an in person graduation last year, Cartwright says she had to ensure that he was celebrated at home.

Her biggest concerns are her 12-year-old son falling into the wrong crowd, or even worse, looking back and feeling like his parents didn’t do all they could to allow him to have the best life possible. For that reason, she goes above and beyond.