Veteran journalist and former Newsday editor-in-chief Jones P Madeira is being described as a selfless legend by his family, while colleagues remember a kind, committed man who led an exemplary life.

Tributes continue to pour in after Madeira’s family announced his death in a statement on January 10.

Madeira, 80, died at the Mt Hope Medical Sciences Complex where he had been warded for the past week as he battled “a number of very serious medical conditions.”

Madeira was survived by his wife of 53 years, Melba, his daughters Melanie and Lorilee, and son Justin.

His family thanked the staff at the hospital for the care and comfort extended to Jones during the last week of his life and making his final days as comfortable as possible.

His daughter Lorilee said Madeira was a very nurturing, caring person.

“He's our legend. He was our rock. He's our Superman. My nickname for him was always Superman because I believed that he could do anything, which he did.

“To us at home, to my entire family, my cousins, even schoolmates, he became their father. He was just a beautiful soul, a beautiful human being.”

She said the family was sad but were buoyed by knowing that he was no longer in pain.

She added they were leaning heavily on their faith to get them though.

“Our faith teaches us that to be absent in the body is to be present with the Lord. And we have accepted that he’s not suffering anymore.”

Recounting the time spent with him on the day he died, she said she held his hand as she prayed, sang and spoke with him.

“I didn't even cry. I told him, ‘I'm happy that you're going before us and you're going to prepare a place for us for when we get there.’”

Recalling Madeira’s fierce dedication to his family, she said she even joked with him in his final hours.

“We spend every Sunday together and the house that we live in, it's a corner house with an L-shaped gallery. We always used to joke that if we ever buy another house, we have to make sure it has an L-shaped gallery. So I joked with him and said, ‘Dad, when you reach upstairs there, make sure the house that you get has an L-shaped gallery.’”

Madeira was awarded the Chaconia Gold Medal for his role in facilitating communication between the Abu Bakr led Jamaat Al Muslimeen insurgents and the TT Defence Force in the 1990 coup.

He was the head of news at Trinidad and Tobago Television (TTT) and was among those held hostage at its Maraval Road building.

Journalist Dominic Kalipersad, who witnessed Madeira’s role first-hand, having been held hostage with him, said TT had lost a national icon and a patriot.

“Jones P Madeira was the ultimate journalist, He mastered and influenced all arms of the media – print, radio and television – doing ground-breaking work irrespective of political or corporate pressures.

“Most of all he was a patriot and faced off with Abu Bakr during the 1990 coup attempt in defence of the country and its democracy.”

Newsday managing editor Grant Taylor said also recalled Madeira’s role in the 1990 insurrection and sa