On 2nd October 1997 Eswick Padmore (also known as the gossamer beauty “Gaynor Sandra de Gaye Foster”) co-founded Friends For Life (FFL) to provide support for persons living with HIV/AIDS and other marginalized groups especially within the LGBTQIA+ community in Trinidad & Tobago. A driving force and trusted support in HIV/AIDS and LGBTQIA+ activism in both Trinidad and Tobago from even before that founding, Eswick had a hand in starting, expanding, and guiding countless non-governmental organization as well as partnering with various government institutions.

For nearly three decades, Eswick was a guardian angel to many nationally and internationally. When our blood families abandoned us because of hate or stigma, Eswick found a home for us or took us into his own home. When we were in crisis and needed food, shelter, medication, advice— no matter our sexual orientation, gender identity or HIV status— he was there to provide support, wise words, and a hand to hold while directing us to appropriate resources.

In the early hours of the morning on 2nd December 2024, Eswick Johan Sebastien Padmore succumbed to complications from diabetes and crossed over to meet his ancestors. He was 58 years old. Having lived a life centered around big-hearted community care and selfless generosity, Eswick gave us so much more than we could even hope to repay. The time has come for us to honour his life and legacy with the memorial and funeral service he truly deserves.

Once funeral/memorial service expenses have been paid in full, Friends For Life will be using any remaining funds to create the Eswick Padmore Memorial Fund in order to provide emergency temporary shelter or other housing-related resources primarily for LGBTQIA+ and HIV-positive persons struggling with housing instability. Please consider donating as generously as you can to this effort in honour of an angel of an activist, who gracefully gave so much of himself up until the very end of his life.

Eswick Padmore was truly our Friend For Life and he will be missed.

Rest In Peace, Diva.

As an alternative, you may donate directly to a local T&T Account using the information below:

Branch: Republic Bank Ltd. / Park Street, Port-of-Spain / Trinidad and Tobago
Account Name: Friends For Life
Account Type: Company Chequeing
Account #: 180 465 354 001
Account Rer: 180465354001CHQ (Use to process transfers)
Source of Funds (required by law for NGO to access funds): Contributoion to Funeral Expenses