From her hospital bed in India, Joyce Ong’ombe’s soft voice carries both pain and remarkable strength. The former teacher turned businesswoman has endured unimaginable loss — the deaths of her husband and all three of her children in separate tragedies spanning 14 years.
“In 2010, I lost my husband, a daughter, and a son when flash floods swept them away in Suswa. Their bodies were recovered days later,” Joyce recalls with sorrow. At the time, she was left with her newborn daughter, Georgina, who became her reason to keep living.
For years, Joyce devoted herself to raising Georgina, believing she had found hope after devastation. But on New Year’s Eve 2024, tragedy struck again. While on holiday in Mombasa, a boiler in their apartment exploded, leaving both mother and daughter with severe burns.
They were rushed to Kenyatta National Hospital, where Joyce battled for her life. Georgina, then a Form Three student, succumbed to her injuries on January 14. Joyce, who sustained burns covering 45 percent of her body, was later flown to India for specialised treatment.
Her recovery has been long and painful, involving multiple surgeries and constant physical and emotional struggle. Yet, what makes her story striking is not only the scale of her loss but also her resilience.
Her treatment has already consumed a Sh13.7 million medical fund, forcing friends, church members, and former schoolmates to organise another fundraiser to sustain her care abroad.
Despite losing her husband and all three children in two separate accidents, Joyce holds on to scripture, drawing strength from her faith and the support of well-wishers. To many, she is a symbol of resilience — a reminder that even in the darkest valleys of life, hope can endure.
