He used to be able to pick up the phone and speak with his mom on a daily basis.

Now she will never know her grandson nor will they ever be able to board a plane together for their trips around the world.

Gladys Saunders, 48, was one of four people who died as they were swept off the Causeway when Hurricane Fabian ripped across the Island.

Today on the fifth anniversary of his mother's death, Antoine Saunders said: "Even with me having a new child she played a big role in the other two children's lives but my son will never know his grandmother.

"She was always good with the children. My daddy tries to cook every night but it's not going to compare to my mom's cooking. He tries to do both mom and dad stuff.

"But I would say my father and I have moved on with our lives. I am not saying we are going to sit here and stop our lives.

"I think of it (his mother's death) in different aspects. We used to do a lot together. We used to travel together. We went around the world together, to Japan, to Jamaica."

Mrs. Saunders' daughter, Shanae Robinson, said she still finds the day quite difficult to deal with and even more so as she organises her wedding.

She said: "Around this time of the year I get emotional and I have a hard time. I am getting married and I do miss my mom very much.

"I haven't moved on and that's why I am very emotional about it. It's hard too, because it gets exploited so much."

Mrs. Saunders, a Police Station Duty Officer, was one of four who was swept away from the Causeway on that fateful Friday five years ago.

According to reports of the day, P.C. Stephen Symons, 37, and P.C. Nicole O'Connor, 29, were giving her a lift across the Causeway around 2.30 p.m. when they stopped.

Either because of the waves and debris in the way or because the car just stalled, no one will ever know.

Civilian Manuel Pacheco, 23, was in a separate car, that was also trapped on the Causeway and who never made it across the bridge.

Only the body of P.C. Symons was ever found by the oil docks on Ferry Reach, two days after the storm passed Bermuda.

Mr. Saunders said yesterday he had spoken to his mom only minutes before she left her job and when she never made it home scrambled for any information.

"On that day I called her and she said she was on her way home. When she didn't make it home I called again.

"They said she was on the bridge. We called com-ops and they told us the same thing. My dad was going to race down to the bridge in the height of Fabian. He wanted to bring his wife home."

Her brother, Elder of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, Kevin Santucci, also remembers the day he lost one of his seven sisters.

Mrs. Saunders was one of Clarence and Grace Santucci's ten children and Mr. Santucci remembered her as the disciplinarian who held the family together.

"She brought the best out in us. I remember times when we did do our best and she would be upside your head. She was like the glue in many ways.

"She was the third oldest. There was no mercy; she spoke once and that was it. The next word would be licks."

Helping him through the tragedy has been his religion and faith, though he says it's not easy when you're part of the Ministry and people are leaning on you.

He also believes some closure could come from replacing the Causeway with a sturdier bridge as was suggested immediately after the tragedy.

"Without that (his faith) I would be like others; I would be without hope. When we are in the ministry they think we are OK. If the Lord had not been on my side I don't know where I would have been," he said.

Adding: "If we are satisfied with it (the Causeway) fine leave it as it is. But at least raising it 15 or 20 feet we could do it in honour of those who died.

"That's the final chapter and closure of the tragedy of 2003. The book is not closed yet. As long as that bridge remains the same the book remains open.

"It's waiting for us the people of Bermuda to bring that closure to Hurricane Fabian.

"It's hard and devastating to lose a life but four lives, my words to this community would be lets help close this chapter on Hurricane Fabian."