By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

THE entire community of Green Turtle Cay is saddened over the sudden death of beloved chef Dominic Lloyd, who was celebrating his 40th birthday with friends at a party on Friday when he collapsed and died unexpectedly in Abaco.

Lloyd was employed as head chef at the Bluff House, and was also celebrating his first year working at the property.

“It was his birthday and we were celebrating his birthday and his first year with us,” said Fiona Bootle, general manager of the Bluff House.

“Everyone here is sad and trying to help each other cope with this loss.”

Ms Bootle said Lloyd was very excited and happy that so many persons had come out to celebrate with him on Friday evening.

“Everyone was happy and the party was just getting started; everyone was enjoying themselves and he was elated,” she recalled.

Sometime around 10pm on February 19, police received a call that a man had collapsed at the Bluff House. A doctor was summoned and the man was pronounced dead.

Ms Bootle said that Lloyd thought he might be coming down with the flu a few days earlier. She said there had been an outpouring of calls from persons, guests, and even the neighbouring resorts in the area in the wake of his death. “Someone called us and told us that he had been complaining of heart problems for years now,” she said.

Ms Bootle described Lloyd as a very well-liked person in the community.

“I have never met one person who did not like Dominic, or did not think he was the best person in the entire world. He went out of his way to make sure that everybody was always happy.”

“You never see him upset, he always had a smile on his face; and was always going out of his way to help others.”

Lloyd, who was from Nassau, worked for many years in Abaco, and had been employed at the Treasure Cay Resort and Marina for ten years. He has a 12-year-old son.

Ms Bootle said Lloyd was a happy person.

“I don’t think he could have died happier; he had invited so many of his friends and had the attention of everybody.”

She said the community and former guests are saddened by his death.

“We are getting calls from all of the guests that came here to visit with us in the last year,” she said.