Adelaide Thunderbirds defender Latanya Wilson has lost everything after her house in Jamaica was destroyed by fire.
Key points:
- Latanya Wilson has been playing domestically in Australia for the past three seasons
- Netball Jamacia says medals and historic pieces of silverware perished in the blaze
- Wilson told local media that she only left with her laptop, bag and passport
A blaze, suspected to have been set by arsonists, ripped through and destroyed multiple homes in the Kingston area, leaving up to 50 other people either homeless or displaced, according to local media
The news comes three weeks after Wilson won bronze at the Netball World Cup with her Jamaican Sunshine Girls teammates at the tournament held in Cape Town.
It was the first time the side stood on the podium since 2007 and almost a year to the day that they claimed a maiden silver medal in the sport at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games.
Now both of those historic pieces of silverware, as well as the medal the 22-year-old received for winning this year's Super Netball league, have been destroyed with the rest of her belongings, according to Netball Jamaica.
Wilson has been playing domestically in Australia for the past three seasons and was a key factor in the Thunderbirds success for 2023.
Playing a mix of wing defence and goal defence alongside fellow Jamaican import Shamera Sterling, the pair helped the Adelaide-based side climb from towards the bottom of the ladder to a grand final berth.
There, they beat the NSW Swifts in extra time 60-59 to lift a national netball league trophy for the first time in a decade to see Netball South Australia secure valuable funding from the state government to improve its ageing facilities at Mile End.
'I am grateful I have life'
It is likely the Thunderbirds would be eager to re-sign the defender for next season, but a new Collective Player Agreement is still being negotiated by Netball Australia and the Australian Netball Players' Association — who are at loggerheads over pay.
If a deal cannot be agreed to by September 30, Wilson will not only have lost her home but her main source of income.
Speaking with the Jamaica Observer, Wilson said she was asleep when the fire broke out about 2am.
"I was sleeping, and I heard my neighbour shouting, 'fire, fire', but you know when you're in a deep sleep, you're not so much aware of what's happening," she said.
"By the time I got out of bed, the fire was at the back of the house so I just put something on and while I was heading out, my sister told me not to forget my laptop, which was right beside the bed, so that's the only thing I could actually grab along with my bag and passport.
"I'm kind of feeling several different emotions right now, I think the key lesson out of this is to just be grateful for life, because one minute you can be on top of everything and the next you can lose it all.
"Whatever I have lost in the fire … Jamaica can assist in getting them back so I am grateful I have life."
Netball Jamaica is in the process of setting up a GoFundMe page and has appealed via social media for locals to transfer donations into a bank account for Wilson and her family.
Meanwhile, Thunderbirds teammate and England World Cup silver medallist Eleanor Cardwell has also set up a UK JustGiving page to help her fellow Super Netball import.
The ABC has contacted the Jamaica Constabulary Force for comment.