Kalonji Remembers Bridget James With Emotional Heavenly Birthday Tribute Four Years After Deadly Hotel Attack
Trinibad artiste Kalonji Arthur has paid an emotional birthday tribute to his late girlfriend Bridget James, nearly four years after the two were caught in a deadly gun attack outside the BRIX Hotel in Cascade.
In an Instagram post marking James’ birthday, Arthur shared a heartfelt message expressing how deeply her absence continues to be felt.
“Happy Heavenly Birthday,” Arthur wrote, adding, “I MISS YOU and all your perfections!”
The words carry particular weight given the circumstances surrounding James’ death. Arthur was not simply someone mourning her from afar — he was alongside her when the couple came under heavy gunfire on September 2, 2022.
James, who had just celebrated her 25th birthday, and Arthur were in a vehicle in the car park of the BRIX Hotel when gunmen attacked them. Both were struck by gunfire.
James was taken to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Arthur survived the attack but suffered multiple gunshot wounds and required emergency surgery.
At the time, Arthur’s management, Fully8 Recordz Ltd, described James as his girlfriend and said her death had deeply saddened the artiste and his team. Arthur subsequently faced a lengthy physical recovery while grieving the loss of the woman who had been beside him during the attack.
James was also remembered for achievements outside the circumstances of her death. She worked in accounting and had distinguished herself academically. In 2019, she was recognised as the Caribbean’s top performer in the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants’ Advanced Financial Management examination.
Her death therefore shocked not only those close to her but members of the wider professional and academic community who knew of her accomplishments.
In the days following the shooting, friends publicly remembered James as intelligent, hardworking and deeply loved, while pushing back against attempts on social media to define her by the circumstances in which she died.
Arthur’s recovery also became an emotional journey. Weeks after the shooting, his management said he had completed his surgeries but remained deeply affected by James’ death. He was reportedly unable to physically attend her funeral because of his injuries and instead followed portions of the service remotely.
Now, four years later, his birthday message shows that the memory of James remains close.
The tribute attracted thousands of reactions from followers, with many responding to Arthur’s public expression of grief and remembrance.
For those familiar with what happened in 2022, the message represents more than a birthday remembrance. Arthur survived the same hail of gunfire that claimed James’ life, making his words a reminder of a moment that permanently changed both their families and his own life.
Article and image source: instagram.com
