Klao Bell, Staff Reporter
BASED on the stories told by his mother, it seems that Senior Superintendent Reneto Adams was born to lead and trained to serve.
A few hours spent with the soft-spoken woman, whose face is his spitting image, gave insight into the early days of the boy who grew up to currently be Jamaica's most popular crime fighter.
"The teachers used to love him, when they had to leave class they always leave him in charge," chuckled Mabel Adams as she recalled young Adams' days at Teacher Warren and the Pedro Plain primary schools.
Reneto grew up with his mother, father, sister and four brothers in a small house in St. Elizabeth. From the outset, he distinguished himself among his peers in child games, academics, family leadership and sports.
"You want to see him in crocus bag running and him always win, not a soul could beat him. Him used to go to the place named stadium and do high jump -- and him always win, not a soul could beat him," recalled Mrs. Adams gleefully.
Like many Jamaican children, Reneto Adams was raised by his mother. His father, Merton Adams, travelled frequently, participating in farm work programmes in the United States.
"Him used to take good care of we when him used to go to America, but afterwards him go to England and don't come back. Him was trying to send for me but because I born in Panama, I didn't have any birth papers, so I couldn't go to England...after a while, him stop write," reminisced Mrs. Adams.
It wasn't until his death from cancer in 1981, that the family got word of him again. He had asked to be buried in Jamaica, a desire to be close to his family and the children - who didn't know him very well.
Numerous studies have shown that children who grow up without their fathers usually struggle through a range of social and emotional issues. But Mrs. Adams said, Reneto and his siblings were not affected by their father's absence.
"The children never take it to heart. They had me and I try with them in every way," Mrs. Adams said.
Instead of breaking him, his father's absence, death and the subsequent death of the eldest son pushed young Reneto to the head of the family - another role which his mother said, he handled well.
"Him help me and take care of the younger ones as well...he was always so loving and kind to the rest of the children. He was a dutiful child and would help me around the house and on the farm," said Mrs. Adams dotingly.
SSP Adams, usually recites his lengthy Spanish name with pride, Reneto DeCordova Valentino Adams.
"Is not me name him sah, is him grandmother - she love the Spanish name them," Mrs. Adams said laughing.
In fact his five siblings were also given exotic names such as Retinella Panchita, Menesi Cordosa and Henrique Valentino.
Now 85, Mrs. Adams spends most of her days in bed combating high blood pressure, glaucoma and "a little heart trouble." She resisted signs of these illnesses for many years and only retired from running her shop and "cultivating" her corn and peanut crops six years ago.
A devout member of the Pentecostal church, Mrs. Adams disclosed that, "Ren used to come to church with me regular...him did all get baptised."
When asked how she felt about her son's chosen career path and role as head of the Crime Management Unit (CMU), she replied with confidence and another story about 'Ren'.
"I feel well about what him do. From him was seven, him used to cut out gun out of cardboard box and play with the other children them. Him was always the police and him used to make the other one them hide inna tree so him could go and look for them," Mrs. Adams said.
But like any parent her confidence sometimes wanes when she remembers that her son's job often puts his life on the line.
"Sometimes I worry that they going to kill him, but him know what him doing - him don't 'fraid of not a thing. Once him make up him mind him going after what him want live or dead," she said with resolve.
SSP Adams has often said he is not afraid of death and that he won't get shot. This has led to rumours that he is 'protected' by a 'guard ring' (a ring said to harbour the presence and protection of spirits). But his mother, roundly dismissed this as foolishness.
"Not a thing go so! Him not wearing not one thing. People who claim to 'protect' people don't have any real power - that is foolishness. Listen, from Ren was a youth him never 'fraid fi one thing. If guard ring could protect anybody plenty people wouldn't dead!" Mrs. Adams declared.
She doesn't keep up with the news much, so she doesn't know what is being said about her son, all she knows is that - "him have a real hard job...I would never take a job like that."
