“Nliona video akiswim, nikaanza kulia,” Hellen Wendy’s father narrates how he learnt of her death
The father of the Canadian nurse of Kenyan descent who passed away as her swimming practice was being live streamed on Facebook has described the terrifying moment he watched learn of her passing.
Hellen Wendy Nyabuto, 24, drowned in the water just moments after dying in full view of her Facebook video in which she was live streaming her swimming practice.
The father of five, who was speaking in a video posted by the Nation, could not contain his tears as he described how he witnessed his daughter go from being an enthusiastic young woman enjoying her time in the pool to the moment she began drowning.
“I saw a clip on the phone and I opened it. I saw it was my daughter swimming excitedly. I did not see anything unusual,” he said.
“She was just swimming, talking to the camera, and she looked very happy. However, I saw people writing sorrowful comments, and I did not understand why they were saying bad news, yet she was just swimming,” he added.
He claimed that he did not initially notice Hellen drowning on the video and that he could not come to terms with reality until a Canadian called to tell him that Hellen had passed away.
“The Kenyan from Canada explained to me that my daughter drowned as shown in the clip as she was swimming. I was so shocked and could not stop to cry,” he said.
John Nyabuto, Wendy’s father, claimed that after learning of his daughter’s passing, he was unable to stop crying because he had not only lost his firstborn daughter but also his ray of hope.
Nyabuto described how Hellen worked a part-time job while pursuing her nursing degree and sending money home.
He is currently pleading with well-wishers for assistance in bringing Hellen home because his biggest concern is how his daughter’s remains would get to the country.
The father of a Canada-based Kenyan nurse, Hellen Wendy Nyabuto, confirmed her death and dismissed reports that she had predicted her death.
In an interview with The Standard, John Nyabuto urged Kenyans to disregard the claims that were being shared on social media.
“I hear some people claiming she had said on WhatsApp that she would soon die in Canada. As her father, she never shared with me any information that suggested she was in distress or any form of trouble,” Nyabuto stated.
