MAUREEN WARUINGE ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST

23 July 2024

• Nana also reflected on what her mum's dire health status would come to mean in her life later on.

Nana Owiti has shared beautiful pictures of her late mum, recalling their last moments together. On Instagram, Nana paid tribute, remembering how she tried to revive her mum as she lay on a hospital bed.

"As a child, one of my biggest fears was losing my mother. This fear intensified when I began living with her. I would creep into her room in the middle of the night, slowly and quietly open her bedroom door, and hold my breath as I watched to see if she was still breathing."

In the collage of pictures, one showed her late mum at her workplace as a police officer, looking young and vibrant. These photos brought back both happy and sad memories for Nana.

"I would only breathe a sigh of relief when I saw her ribcage moving up and down, then gently close the door. On a day like this in 2007, I faced my worst fear. She was just 37 years old, and I was a teenager."

Nana also reflected on what her mum's dire health status would come to mean in her life later on.

"I wasn’t prepared. My life took a drastic turn and I spiraled downward for a while. When I arrived at the hospital where my mom was admitted, she had grown too tired and lazy to breathe anymore. CPR couldn’t bring her back (Yes! I tried to revive her myself💔🥹). Dreams shattered."

The football enthusiast added that it weighed heavily on her as a teen, having to face death.

"Aspirations crushed. Expectations unmet. Plans thwarted. Goals ruined. Seventeen years later, I’m still unsure how I’ve managed to get here, but God has been merciful and gracious. I miss her and need her guidance more as I grow older, but grief is like the ocean—sometimes calm ☺️ and sometimes overwhelming😩. All we can do is learn to swim 🏊‍♀️."

Nana comforted herself with the wonderful memories of her late mum.

"So here’s to keeping my head above water 💪🏾. Here’s to wishing you a peaceful rest, mama. I will be playing 'Candle in the Wind' a lot more today, and listening to Bosco Mulwa and Michael Bolton the most because those memories mean everything to me."

Nana has a sister called Porshia, and they are of Kamba and Luo parentage.

"I will cry a little more today..grief is the price we pay for love, right? 🙂. I will look at your pictures more and notice details I didn’t the last time.. I miss you, Mwĩĩtũ wa Nzomo wa Kitonde wa Loka wa Musau wa Mwaki wa Makaa wa Ng’ulũ 🕊️❤️"