'I am completely shattered,' Wife of Nakuru doctor pays tribute to her slain family

27 September 2021

It is a sad day as the family of Dr James Gakara paid tribute to him and his two children; Dylan and Karwana during a Requiem Mass on September 27, 2021 at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Nakuru.

His wife, Winnie Odhiambo paid a moving tribute that praised him for being her soul mate.

"Today, I write a story of a man, I was blessed to have known for 8 years. A man I could only be grateful when I realized that I would rather have known for a moment, than never at all. A man I would rather endure this inexplicable pain of outliving than to never have seen his face, soft-spoken, but so warm and loving."

She continued, "Wow, it has come as a difficult time, as this coming November 26, 2021, would mark our 7th year wedding anniversary, and have been together for 8years.

Our meeting was one of a kind and an interesting one, I am going to narrate it to you because I wouldn't have another chance to do so. I was a clinical officer intern and most medical interns would bear me witness to how this process is rigorous and exhausting.

So on this particular day, February 2014, I am on day 4 of maternity rotation, we start our usual ward round rotation at 8 am.

I present the first two clinical cases, we examine the patient and calmly ask for my decision, he listens carefully calmly and we both agree the patient needs an Emergency Caesarian Section, we prepare the patient for the surgery. We both scrub and on this particular surgery I am the one assisting him, it is my very first surgery and I am nervous.

Deep down into the surgery, I drop down several instruments at once, oops! Chills run down my spine, my feet are trembling and my hands are completely shaken, I am sweating wondering how terrible this consultant is going to shout at me, wow, he looks at me calmly and in a soft voice tells me, "Don't worry, you are here to learn, Relax" wow! I was so touched by his words, and as they say, the rest is history."

The two tied the knot is a fairy tale wedding on November 26, 2015, in a very lovely ceremony attended by friends and family. They were blessed with 3 children Agnes Njeri, the late Dylan Gakara and the late Hailey Karuana.

"My heart bleeds and I am completely shattered. Never in my wildest dreams have I dreamt of something like this. It feels like a dream that is just never-ending... I do not know how my weekends will be, I do not know how my Sundays will be spent. Only God knows. I lost my strength, my purpose for life... Go well my dear beloved husband, my sweet girl Karuana and my darling baby boy 'Didi'." read her tribute.