Nine weeks after being medically evacuated to a United States hospital for emergency treatment of severe pneumonia, one of The Bahamas’ most legendary business figures has returned to his home in New Providence, carrying a critical public health message for his fellow citizens.
Rupert Roberts, 88, who founded the nation’s largest all-Bahamian grocery chain Super Value and shaped decades of commercial and banking growth across the country, expressed unbridled joy at returning to his home country’s iconic warm climate. “It’s such a blessing to be back in the sunshine,” he shared in an interview shortly after his arrival. In his message to Bahamians, he urged widespread prioritization of personal wellness, emphasizing: “Look after yourselves with a healthy diet and regular exercise. You could develop an illness that The Bahamas is not fully equipped to treat, and a serious medical condition can quickly spiral into costs far beyond what most families can afford.”
When asked if his near-death health scare had prompted doctors to urge him to step back from his decades-long career, the self-identified workaholic laughed off the suggestion. “No, not at all!” he said. “They told me to keep going, never stop.”
Roberts fell seriously ill with pneumonia in late February, triggering an outpouring of support from across the nation that he says was a critical part of his recovery. Hundreds of Tribune readers sent prayers and well-wishes, and dozens of Super Value employees answered an urgent call to donate blood to support his treatment when he first became sick.
“I want to thank every single person — my family, my relatives, every employee, every customer, and the entire country for all their support and prayers,” Roberts said. “That support was more healing to me than any medical treatment, and it’s what brought me home. I had no idea how many people cared about me this way, and I can’t put my appreciation into words.”
Throughout his nine-week treatment and recovery at St Mary’s, part of the world-renowned Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, Roberts had constant, around-the-clock support from his wife Margaret and his granddaughter Paige Waugh, who works on the Super Value team. “I never would have made it through this without their love, care, and constant presence by my side,” he noted. He also expressed particular gratitude for a well-wish call from Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis, and for the early and consistent care from his personal Bahamian physician Dr Duane Sands, who is also former health minister and current chairman of the Free National Movement.
Dr Sands visited Roberts two to four times a day in the early stages of his illness, coordinated his transfer to the Mayo Clinic, and set him up for a successful recovery. “I never felt any fear for my life at any point,” Roberts said. “I always knew I was in good hands, from the very start with Dr Sands. I’ve been treated at St Mary’s before several times, so it felt like home even in Minnesota. Doctors from multiple departments came to check on me, and I was even shocked when Bahamian Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell stopped by with a large bouquet of flowers. Having a fellow Bahamian visit made everything feel so much more comfortable.”
Roberts confirmed that while he was in the US, medical teams also fixed a long-standing issue with his pacemaker, after one of the device’s leads slipped out of place and required reattachment. Beyond that minor procedure, he said he is now well on his way to a full recovery.
Despite being away from his business interests for more than two months, Roberts said he never felt disconnected from daily operations. Thanks to a deeply trained management team and consistent communication with staff, “It was just as if I was sitting at my desk every day,” he explained.
When asked what he missed most during his time in the cold northern US, he answered without hesitation: “The warm Bahamian weather. It’s so great to be back where all my favorite things are, in what I truly believe is the best place in the world to enjoy life. I’m so happy to be back to our 80-degree sunshine — that cold up north was absolutely horrid.”
Beyond his iconic work building Super Value into the backbone of the Bahamian grocery industry, Roberts has long been a central figure in national banking development. Following the Bahamianisation of the nation’s finance sector, he was appointed chairman of Commonwealth Bank Limited, serving in the role from 1984 to 1992. During his tenure, he led the bank out of years of stagnation under foreign ownership, overseeing explosive growth: the bank relocated its headquarters to a new facility on East Bay Street, opened new branches in Oakes Field and Marsh Harbour, grew total assets by more than 700% to over $125 million, and increased net income from $1.3 million in 1984 to $4 million by 1992.