By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

NEARLY a year after fire gutted the home his family had lived in for more than four decades, retired Defence Force Captain Whitfield Neely is preparing to move back in — having spent the last ten months rebuilding it himself, often working late into the night.

Mr Neely, who started reconstruction in July 2024, said the trauma of losing his family’s house on May 31 was eclipsed by his sense of duty and discipline, instilled by years of military service.

“There is no giving up,” he said. “The mission must be accomplished.”

For months, he worked every day from early morning to late at night, coordinating labour, hauling supplies, and laying the foundation for a new beginning — a modern three-bedroom, three-bathroom home now nearly complete, with only minor finishing work left before his family returns this weekend.

He said the emotional toll of the loss never had time to settle in.

“I haven’t even grieved the loss of the old home,” he admitted. “I hit the ground running and haven’t looked back.”

The fire that consumed the family’s longtime residence left them temporarily scattered. But Mr Neely said their bond remained strong, and he was determined to reunite them under one roof.

“We’ve always been a close family,” he said. “At first, everyone was heartbroken. But I kept reminding them, if money can buy it, we can replace it. And God would help us get our home back.”

The cause of the fire was never officially determined — a mystery Mr Neely said he chose not to dwell on.

“Sometimes if you hold on to things, they destroy you,” he said. “I let go of that and focused on what I could control: getting us a new home.”

The road back was costly. Mr Neely said the rebuild cost more than six times what he paid to construct the original house in 1997 — a burden he fears is out of reach for many younger Bahamians today.

“It’s so expensive now just to buy the materials,” he said. “I don’t know how young people are going to do it.”

Though a GoFundMe campaign helped with expenses, he credited the emotional and logistical support from friends, strangers, and local organisations as the real anchor during the rebuilding process — including those who provided temporary housing when it was most needed.

“We were tremendously blessed,” he said. “People went out of their way to make sure we were comfortable.”

With the hardest work behind him, Mr Neely said he’s looking forward to rest — and perhaps some time on the tennis court or back at sea.

But more than anything, he hopes the kindness shown to his family during their loss becomes a wider national value.

“The love we received — I hope that spirit travels across the country,” he said. “Let’s be a people who care.”

Mr Neely ended his remarks with gratitude for those who followed and supported his family’s journey.

“It is still better in The Bahamas,” he said.