This archive report was first published on 4 July 2019.
On Friday, the All Saints Cathedral hosted a memorial service for former Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore, who passed away on July 1st, 2019. The somber mood that filled the mourners was a testament to the impact Bob had on those who knew him.
One of the most poignant tributes came from Wambui's uncle, who shared a personal story about Bob's relationship with Wambui's father. According to the uncle, Bob had gone to ask for Wambui's hand in marriage, only to be met by Wambui's father, who had passed away.
As the tributes poured in, a striking similarity between Bob and Wambui's father emerged: both had battled cancer. Wambui's uncle revealed that her father had been diagnosed with cancer in the early 2000s and had passed away in 2007. Bob, on the other hand, had been diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia and had passed away just a few days prior to the memorial service.
But the similarities didn't stop there. Both Bob and Wambui's father had refused treatment at the last minute, with Bob's friends revealing that he had chosen not to respond to messages suggesting alternative treatment. Wambui's uncle shared a similar story about her father, who had refused surgery, saying he was not going to take it anymore.
As the tributes continued, it became clear that both Bob and Wambui's father had accepted their fate. Just hours after Bob's passing, journalist Jeff Koinange revealed that Bob had been prepared to die, knowing that his time was limited. Wambui's father had also accepted that his time had come.
Despite their differences, both Bob and Wambui's father had shared a common philosophy: that one is remembered not for their wealth, but for their deeds. And both had loved Wambui deeply, with Bob loving her as a wife and friend, and Wambui's father loving her as a father.
