This archive report was first published on 30 September 2019.
Acid Attack Survivor's Journey to Recovery ¶
On March 2019, Kelvin Kairu's life was forever changed after a brutal acid attack in Nanyuki, leaving him physically and mentally scarred. The attack, which occurred outside a mall where he worked, left him with severe burns and damaged eyesight.
According to Kelvin, the attacker, who was wearing a mask, splashed a liquid on his face, causing severe burns. Kelvin initially thought the attacker was out to mug him, but the attacker dashed off in haste. He knew he had been attacked with sulphuric acid and tried to wipe his face with his hands, but felt the skin peel.
One of the nearby security guards helped him wash his face under a running tap before being rushed to Nanyuki Referral Hospital by a close friend. It took three hours to be attended at the hospital, during which time the acid was burning his skin and damaging his eyes. Doctors finally showed up at around 9 am and rinsed his eyes out with a special liquid, using up six bottles.
Despite the medical attention, Kelvin's mental health deteriorated, and he started having suicidal thoughts. He would joke and laugh when in company, but inside, he was dying. He couldn't sleep, his appetite and libido were gone, and his self-esteem had disappeared. He would have nightmares, wondering why he had been attacked and who had done it.
His first suicide attempt came when his wife and two young children had left to visit a relative. He went to a chemist and bought 30 anti-allergy pills, which he thought would be enough to sleep forever. He took them all and lay on the sofa, but luckily, his next-door neighbour got suspicious and called for help.
In May of this year, Kelvin tried to take his life again. He traveled to Thika, where he booked a cheap hotel room, and took a large dose of sleeping pills, antibiotics, and a bottle of undiluted pesticide. He went live on Facebook Live to bid farewell to his family, but to his surprise, he was still alive in the morning without any aches or pains.
He was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was forced to undergo therapy. He was given antidepressants and taken through therapy, and finally accepted his reality. From that point, in May 2019, he has been feeling more positive about his situation and is determined to live his life fully.
On if his attacker was identified and caught, Kelvin said: 'No. The perpetrator remains a mystery. Even the CCTV cameras from the mall didn’t help. I still wonder who it could have been. But even if I don’t know my attacker, I have forgiven him.'
