LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Lexington’s Moore family is thinking about the life of a loved one they lost, 59-year-old Demetrius Moore. Her youngest sister, Veroqua Moore, took care of her.
She says, "Together there was four of us. Everyone's passed on before her. And so, it was just me and her normally and my children, I have 11 children."
Veroqua explains that Demetrius was known across the country for the most painful experience of her life. In 1991 Demetrius was about to sing with the choir at East Second Street Christian Church when a woman threw Liquid Fire Draino on her.
"It was an incident apparently about someone singing off-key in the choir and someone brought Liquid Fire Draino to the church and threw it on my sister along with several other people who got splashed with it,” says Veroqua.
LEX 18 interviewed Demetrius 18 years after the accident that left her with burns on 95% of her body. Then, she shared that she'd had more than 34 surgeries and couldn't see for 15 years.
In 2009, she said, "When she threw, she splashed my face, my neck, my chest...my body and everything."
Veroqua says, "Some people would ridicule my sister or make fun, and you know it kinda made us kinda angry, as well as it caused her a lot of health issues, mental issues."
She says that didn't change her spirit. "My sister never let that be a reason why she didn't smile."
Demetrius needed round-the-clock care. Her sister says despite her condition, she still worked to make Lexington’s community a better place.
Veroqua explains, "She did great things for the community. She did great things to help people. She did a lot just to help the community to be, as a whole, not judgmental of people."
Veroqua says she comes to sit on her porch for peace. She has a memorial garden for those who've lost loved ones in the area. She says it’s for her sister now too. Now, as this family works to make arrangements, she says she wants people to remember what her sister stood for.
"She loved God, and that God was the center of her life no matter what, and she always wanted to be in a community that loved one another."
This family is remembering the light that Demetrius brought to life.
The family is asking for support from the community during this difficult time. They are also asking for donations to help with funeral arrangements. Veroqua Moore can be reached at 859-536-2678.
A GoFundMe has been set up to help the family pay for funeral expenses.
