Joan Sinali, the widow of US Marine Chris Masaka is pleading for help to enable her to give her husband a befitting send-off.

She has started a gofundme page online, aiming to raise Sh2.5 million to settle hospital bills, cover travel, and funeral expenses.

In a touching message that has moved many to tears, the widow said that losing her husband was a painful experience, asking people to pray for her and her family.

Family and friends; words cannot describe my sorrow. My world was shattered for the second time in less than two years yesterday around 4.00pm Arizona time. My children are once more fatherless after Ademah Masakah Chris drowned in a pool trying to save a drowning child. He was our soldier and our hero. please keep our family and his family in prayers.

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According to the message on the page, Chris Masaka died after saving one of his nephews, who had slipped into the deep end.

He leaves behind four children and wife heavily pregnant with a fifth child.

A message on the gofundme page read,

On Friday July 26th US Army soldier Chris Ademah Masakah took his two young sons and their cousins to go swimming in the backyard of the vacation house they were renting in Arizona. While in the pool one of his nephews slipped into the deep end and Chris was able to save him before tragically drowning himself. His nine-year-old son noticed his father struggling and called for help. Next his oldest daughter and brother attempted to CPR until medics could arrive on the scene. Sadly his heart never started pumping on its own again. He is now leaving behind his 8 months pregnant wife and his 4 children (2,9,9,18). His 9 years daughter is still in Kenya where they have been working to get her US citizenship so they could be a whole family. His oldest daughter is even supposed to be headed off to her first year of college in two weeks.

Masaka has been described as a great family man.

Mr. Masakah was a very humble man who always was there to assist anyone in need. He never missed a single one of his son's basketball games and always encouraged his family to do their best but believed mistakes were a key part to it. He loved all that came in contact with him and would do anything to see that others felt comfortable. Chris was our hero, our protector, our healer, our everything. The family resides in Iowa but is originally from Kenya. The army would like to pay their respects in honorable service.

His body is expected to be airlifted back home in Ikolomani, Kakamega county for burial.

Due to cultural aspects, a body is not at rest until it is placed back in its original soil, therefore, his body will need to be sent back to Kenya. He was the breadwinner of the family and now the family of seven has been left with hospital, Paramedic, travel and funeral expenses for Iowa and Kenya. This was a very unexpected event and the extreme cost the family is pleading for any type of assistance in returning this soldier to his final destination.

Check out photos of the lovely family