One-on-one with Rosemary Heath; “George died a hero”
By: Samantha Fenlon
Email: news@abc6.com
Rosemary Heath says it’s difficult to believe a year has passed since her husband, George Heath, was brutally stabbed to death at the Silver City Galleria.
The anniversary of the rampage where two, including George Heath, were killed is this Wednesday.
The 56-year-old died fighting deranged attacker 28–year–old Arthur Darosa.
"We stood up. We fought that man. We wrestled with him. George died a hero,” said Heath.
Looking back, Rosemary says it was just hours after that brutal attack she decided she would devote her time to keeping George’s memory alive.
"It was clear as a bell four am,” said Heath. “I hadn’t slept all night long. I was up all night watching the news. I realized that no–ones going to know about George unless I tell them."
Rosemary created the George Heath Superhero Scholarship Fund. It benefits the students at Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational-Technical High School where George was a visual design teacher.
"If I focus, if I have something to keep my mind busy then I’m good,” said Heath.
But, despite her incredibly positive attitude, Rosemary admits there’s been plenty of dark times too.
"It’s been really tough knowing that he’s not here,” said Heath. “See there’s an emotional side of it. It’s really tough doing everything, doing all the yard work without George, that was George’s thing."
When those hard times come, Rosemary tries to remember the good that came from that day. The baby that waitress Sheenah Savoy was able to bring into the world because of her husband, and the new relationships she’s formed including one with family members of Sheriff’s Deputy James Creed. He’s the one who shot and killed Darosa and ended the violence.
"It was horrible in the sense that I lost my husband, that I watched it all happen. But, you look at the positives and you find the positives and you focus on that,” said Heath.
On Wednesday, Rosemary will be presented the Carnegie Medal of Heroism for her husband; in honor of the anniversary, she wants people to perform random acts of kindness.
80-year-old grandmother Patricia Slavin was also killed that night. Several others including Slavin’s daughter were injured.
©WLNE-TV / ABC6 2017
