Renowned musician Lenson Njuki, better known as Mr Lenny, has opened up about the devastating loss of his elder sister Essie, who succumbed to a sudden and catastrophic brain aneurysm.
In a heartfelt interview on the Iko Nini podcast, Mr Lenny recounted the agonizing journey that led to his sister’s untimely passing.
The tragedy struck when Essie collapsed while meeting friends in town. Her playful demeanor initially masked the gravity of her condition, but the seriousness of the situation became evident when she was rushed to a hospital in Nairobi’s Central Business District. She was later transferred to another facility.
Signs of her condition had been present but were not initially recognized as alarming. Mr Lenny revealed:
“She passed away in January, and in December, she had organized a family gathering. We went to the Coast, but throughout the trip, she complained of headaches. She would take painkillers, but nothing seemed to help.”
Upon seeking medical attention, it was discovered that she had a brain aneurysm.
The family faced a difficult decision when the doctor presented a 50/50 survival rate through surgery. Despite the risks, they opted for the procedure.
“When it was time for her to go into the operating room, she started crying and said her goodbyes, as if she knew she wouldn’t make it through. At the time, she had separated from her baby daddies and was living with our mother. She asked us not to fight with her baby daddies (we weren’t on good terms), and she also asked us to take care of her children.”
Despite what appeared to be a successful operation, Mr Lenny’s sister never regained consciousness.
The family faced the agonizing decision to remove her from life support after learning that her brain had suffered irreversible damage.
The financial burden compounded their grief, as daily ICU expenses amounted to approximately 200,000 Kenyan Shillings.
Tragically, even after a second operation, Mr Lenny’s sister did not recover.
Devastated by the loss, the family made the heartbreaking decision to turn off life support.
“At some point, the doctors informed us that her brain had died and asked whether to switch off the machines or keep her on life support. Eventually, we sat down as a family and decided to remove her from life support. It was a truly heartbreaking moment for us.”
In a testament to their unity and support, Kenyans both within and outside the country rallied to help the grieving family, contributing significantly to clearing a substantial medical bill of Sh3 million.
Mr Lenny expressed deep gratitude for the outpouring of support during this challenging time.
