Cancer robs the Kenyan community in Boston of yet another member
Friends of the late Jimmy Kimunya of Boston gather at his apartment for mourning and fundraising to transport the body back to Kenya. H.Maina/Ajabu
By Harrison Maina, Ajabu Africa News Posted:April 5, 2010, UPDATED APRIL 6. THIS VERSION CORRECTS THE PREVIOUS ONE
BOSTON, Mass., _The Kenyan community in Boston is reeling from a sudden death of a young renowned and dedicated soccer player who was about to become a dad this June.Jimmy Kimunya died suddenly in his apartment in Winthrop Mass., on Thursday morning, barely a month after he underwent surgery as a result of late stage colon cancer.
He was 36 years old. Jimmy leaves behind a seven-month pregnant fiancée, Jill Laforest, who is expecting their first daughter sometime in June. She is already named Zahra Waithera Kimunya.
A pair of Jimmy’s favorite dark glasses and trademark red soccer Jersey inscribed with an Arsenal FC logo rested on his now empty favorite chair in his apartment, bearing testimony to his dedication to the Boston Kenyan soccer club with whom he has practiced for the last 13 years.
Jimmy loved all sports but soccer was his true passion. In particular, the English premier league club Arsenal FC (“Gunners”) , was his favorite team.
Stunned teammates and friends immediately gathered at his apartment at the Governor’s Park apartments in Winthrop to mourn and organize an urgent fundraiser to repatriate the late Jimmy’s body to Kenya as requested by his devastated parents.
Jimmy’s sister, Eva Maroko flew into Boston from , Texas immediately upon receiving the sad news.
According to the hastily organized fundraising committee, Jimmy’s parents requested the body to be transported as soon as practically possible, and therefore everything is being done to get the body to Nairobi, Kenya by sometime next week.
Jimmy’s favorite dark glasses and trademark red soccer Jersey
“This is a very serious situation. We need all the help we can get from friends and well wishers out there,” said Owen Njuguna, a long time friend to the late Jimmy.
According to Jimmy’s fiancée and close friends, the deceased started complaining of back pains sometimes last year but he thought it was probably due to the strenuous exercise he adheres to as a frequent soccer player.
However, in January this year, after more tests at the Boston Medical Center, his doctor recommended colon cancer tests, to which Jimmy attended.
“Jimmy was diagnosed with an advanced form of colon cancer,” said Ben Ndirangu, another long time associate of Jimmy.
After the grim diagnosis, the doctors performed surgery to remove ther tumor then recommended an aggressive treatment involving chemotherapy and radiation. However, “Jimmy opted for an alternative method of treatment offered that involves holistic treatment including accupuncture and diet therapy, together with medication for pain management.,” said Maggie Njigua, another close long time friend.
According to friends, Jimmy was upbeat about his chances at full recovery and had already decided to set up a fund to raise money fight his cancer as the method of treatment he had chosen was not covered by his medical insurance.
“He had already brought together friends who put together a fundraiser for ‘The Killing Cancer fund for Jimmy Kimunya”. Organizers at the meeting in Winthrop said that the killing cancer event will take place as planned but the immediate task was to raise enough money to take the body back home and pay for the funeral expenses.
The late Jimmy's fiancee, Jill Laforest ( middle) accompanied by Jimmy's sister, Eva, together with other friends during a meeting in Winthrop, Mass.
The fundraiser will still be held as a celebration of Jimmy’s life on Sunday April 11 at The Greatest Bar 262 Friend St. in Boston, MA.
A second fundrasing event, for those who may not be able to attend the Boston event, has been slated to take place on Saturday, April 10, at the Rapture Harvest Mission International, on 33 West Water st in Wakefield, MA , starting 3pm to 8pm.
A Wake for Jimmy Kimunya will be held on Friday, April 9, 4pm-8pm, at Casper Funeral Home, 187 Dorchester St. South Boston MA, 02127.
According to the organizing commitee, these two fund raisers are crucial so as to help Jimmy's fiancee and the soon to be born daughter with funds as the late Jimmy did not have a life insurance coverage.
"A am appealing to Kenyans everywhere to come out and help raise funds for this family. We all are learning that we all need individual life insurance as this can happen to anyone", said Robert Omondi of Lowell, another longtime friend of Jimmy and soccer teammate.
Speaking to AjabuAfrica.com, Jimmy’s devastated fiancée said that on Thursday morning, Jimmy woke up as usual and was in great spirits.
At 10.30 am, he spent almost half an hour speaking on the phone to his friend, Anthony Njigua a.k.a Gishe, just before taking a bath.
The Late Jimmy Kimunya
Jill immediately called the emergency crews who arrived at the apartment within minutes and immediately started performing CPR on Jimmy.
“He was not responding. He was rushed to the hospital where he was pronounced dead, said the fiancée. He didn’t know he was dying,” she added tearfully.
“I am very devastated,” said Njigua, the childhood friend that Jimmy was talking to several minutes before he collapsed and died.
Njigua, who was at the Wal-Mart store in Lynn when Jimmy called him, said that his friend did not sound ‘right’ when they were talking.
“He told me he had two bad nights, and that is why he did not return my calls,” said Njigua. He added that Jimmy was always a very courageous man in the face of difficulties and even at the time of his death, he was in a lot of pain but he tried to conceal it since he did not want his friends to worry too much.
“He told me that he was looking forward to the coming summer because his girlfriend was about to have a baby girl, and his mother and father in Kenya were to visit him,” said Njigua.
“Before we finished talking Jimmy told me that he was going to rest for a while then take a bath,” added Njigua
But about half an hour later, Njigua received a phone call from Jimmy’s fiancée, Laforest, telling him that his friend had collapsed.
"She told me she had already called emergency crews but from the way Jimmy looked, she was afraid he might not make it,” said the long time family friend and schoolmate.
Friends said that it was important for Kenyans to show courage in this time of need and come out to help the deceased family.
“Jimmy showed us a lot of courage in the way he faced this disease. He was a great role model,” said Joseph Muriithi of Beverly. “Let us now come together and show the same courage for the sake of his fiancée and the coming baby as well as his parents back in Kenya,” added Muriithi.
Anthony Njigua a.k.a Gishe, extreme left, chairs a fundraising meeting at the late Jimmy's apartment at Governor's Park in Winthrop
Jimmy was born on January 5, 1974. He grew up in Buru Buru II Nairobi Kenya. He attended Agha Kan primary school then joined Kenyatta High school Mahiga in Othaya, Nyeri, before transferring to Kirangari boys’ high school in Kiambu.
He then joined the Arts College of Nairobi in Kenya after completing his high school. Jimmy then relocated to the USA in 1996 to attend the Arts institute of Philadelphia, Pa.
He lived in city for three years before relocating to Boston where he has been working as an interior designer for several companies.
Jimmy had been doing freelance interior design jobs and was planning to relocate back to Kenya with his fiancée to raise their daughter and start up a business .
However, Jimmy will be remembered more in the Kenyan and African community in Massachusetts as an avid soccer lover who was extremely competitive and talented in several positions on the soccer pitch.
“He played the midfield position very effectively and could burst open any defense on the opposing team,” said Harrison Maina of AjabuAfrica.com, who played with Jimmy many times on the Kenyan Boston soccer team.
“However, Jimmy stood ready to serve as our goalkeeper, whenever requested during the many times we found ourselves without a custodian,” added Maina.
The organizing committee requests those who may want to take part in helping meet the cost of transporting the body back home, to deposit their contributions at a special account set up for the purpose.
Details:
Bank of America
Names: EVA W. MAROKO /OR JILL LAFOREST
ACCOUNT No: 004630846562
Routing: 026009593
AjabuAfrica.com wishes the family of Jimmy Kimunya quick healing and peace.
