Can’t Afford To Fail

In a story of trial and triumph, Petergay Dunkley provides an unflinching and candid look at a life that starts as a homeless teenage mother in Jamaica. Pregnant at fifteen, she is forced to give up her infant, is banished from house and home, and is forced to survive on the streets. Tragically, Petergay loses her son to a viral illness, but she refuses to give up on herself. She meets and marries an American who whisks her off to the US with promises of a better tomorrow. Unfortunately, the abusive relationship quickly sours, and Petergay finds herself stranded in suburban Washington. She finally musters the courage to break free of the oppressive marriage, flees to Florida, and connects with the Jamaican ex-pat community there. Life in the Sunshine State brings as many opportunities as it does challenges, but Petergay never falters. She leverages her willingness to work hard, her indomitable grit, and her infectious sense of humor to advance from a string of minimum-wage jobs, eventually earning a nursing degree, and finally serving as the head nurse of one of the largest hospice facilities in the Southeast. Along the way she finds true love and starts a family. Throughout her story, Petergay shares inspiring lessons that show that by acting on faith, anyone can rise from neglect and poverty to become a person blessed with abundance and the ability to make a positive difference in the lives of others.