This archive report was first published on 27 June 2021.
Raphael Tuju's Road to Recovery: Forgiveness and Gratitude ¶
On a remarkable journey of gratitude and forgiveness, Jubilee Secretary General Raphael Tuju walked 57 km from Karen Hospital to Kijabe Hospital, raising over Sh11 million for the hospital that saved his life.
Tuju's life-changing accident occurred on February 12, 2020, when his Toyota Prado collided with a matatu on the Nairobi-Nakuru Highway. He suffered 12 broken bones, which punctured his lungs, making breathing difficult.
In a heartwarming display of forgiveness, Tuju met the driver of the matatu, Bernard Muya Njuguna, 16 months after the accident and forgave him. Njuguna had suffered two broken legs in the accident but has since recovered.
Tuju's remarkable recovery was made possible by the quick thinking and medical expertise of the staff at Kijabe Hospital. He was airlifted to Karen Hospital after his surgery, where a nurse manually pumped oxygen into his lungs.
In an interview, Tuju recounted the events of that fateful day, saying, "I told her I was going to die, I was sure of it and she told me to shut up!" He was referring to Sports CS Amina Mohammed, who was one of the first people to arrive at the crash scene and helped to keep him calm.
Amina recalled the incident, saying, "I was scared he would close his eyes, I told him to keep on looking at me. I told him after all I have a beautiful face for him to keep looking at."
Tuju's remarkable journey is a testament to the power of forgiveness and gratitude. His walk from Karen Hospital to Kijabe Hospital has raised awareness and funds for the hospital that saved his life, and his forgiveness of the driver has brought closure to a difficult chapter in his life.
