Sorrow as Kenyan Man Dies Alone in US, Grieving Mother Collapses and Dies Days Later
- A middle-aged man, Joshua Mwangi, was sadly found dead after eight years of living all alone since his wife died
- Kariuki was in the army, but ever since he left to start life outside, he changed, and things became worse when he was diagnosed with a Grade Four cancer
- His children had scattered to different places after their mother died, while the second wife also took off to the Philippines with his youngest child
- Speaking to TUKO.co.ke, psychologist Wanjiru Mburu said diaspora grief worsens with illness, isolation, and lack of support systems
A Kenyan family is in mourning following the death of their two kin, a mother and a son.
Source: Getty Images
According to a Kenyan compatriot in the US, Mukurima X Muriuki, the son, Joshua Mwangi, passed away in late May, alone in his apartment in Azusa, Los Angeles.
"His final days were marked by a silence that no human being should ever endure," said Muriuki.
The middle-aged man sadly lost his wife in 2017, and their three kids, Lawrence, Laura, and Lauren, were left behind, and they later scattered to different parts of the country.
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How did Kariuki try to move on?
After his wife passed away, he tried to rebuild with a Filipino partner, and they had a daughter, but sadly, she too was taken from him; her mother moved away to the Philippines with her and he never saw the little one again.
That toddler had become his new light, and when she left, something inside him broke even more.
His relationship with his older children had grown strained over time; life happens, distance happens.
"Wounds do not always get a chance to heal; his daughters had chosen to walk their path, and even Lawrence, his only son, had grown distant. But Lawrence never fully let go. They would still speak, every so often," said Muriuki.
Meanwhile, life pushed Mwangi to the edge as he was living with a Grade Four brain tumour, which caused him to experience memory loss, confusion, and pain.
Speaking exclusively to TUKO.co.ke, Wanjiru Mburu, a clinical psychologist explained that the emotional toll faced by diaspora individuals like Joshua Mwangi is often underestimated, especially when compounded by illness, estranged family ties, and cultural disconnection.
She noted that for many immigrants, especially men who served in military institutions or who have experienced sudden family breakdown, grief can silently fester into despair when not addressed through communal or professional support structures.
“When a person loses multiple anchors in life, spouse, children, health, and connection to home, they begin to internalize a sense of invisibility. Sadly, when the silence becomes louder than the support, death can start to feel like an escape rather than a tragedy,” said Dr. Mburu.
How did Kariuki die?
It has emerged that Mwangi took his own life, leaving behind a note and a phone with just one name in it—his son Lawrence.
"When Patrick died, the county prepared to cremate him. No one had claimed the body, but then, Lawrence showed up," said Muriuki.
Lawrence lives in Las Vegas now, working, trying to figure life out like many 28-year-olds do.
The last time he visited Kenya, he was just seven. That was the last time he saw his grandmother-Mwangi’s mother.
And in an unbearably cruel twist of fate, today, Mwangi’s mother, overwhelmed by grief, collapsed and passed away too.
She had just escorted mourners who had come to support her after losing a son.
What kind of a man was Kariuki?
Lawrence opened up about his father and shared that the man once served two tours of duty in the U.S. Marines and wanted the very best for his children.
"Life after the military changed him-perhaps in ways not even he understood. But beneath all the layers of pain and distance, Lawrence still saw his dad as a good man. When sober, when smiling, he was the most loving father in the world," he said.
"He told me his dad would call and cry about missing his youngest daughter. He left behind a note that simply said how much he loved Lawrence. And when Lawrence scrolled through Mwangi's phone, he found his own name as the only saved contact, and that broke him," he shared.
How did the Kenyan community help Lawrence?
The Kenyan community has surrounded Lawrence and a WhatsApp group is already up.
Plans are underway, and people are showing up. Not for a headline, not for attention-but because this is what community does.
"This is who we are," said Muriuki proudly.
"Mwangi’s relatives had hoped to come to America to send off their son. Now they must bury his mother instead. And his father, an old man, now must be comforted in Kenya with this double heartbreak," he observed.
"Lawrence says he no longer feels alone. That, for the first time in a while, he feels lifted. For the last few weeks, he has been crying, but now he feels strong; the community is carrying him. And when all this is over, he hopes to travel to Kenya, not just to grieve, but to honour his father and now his grandmother in a way they deserve," he added.
The sisters have not yet been found, but Muriuki is hoping to find them.
"If you are a Kenyan in America, can you chip in Cashapp, Venmo or Zelle me? We also have a WhatsApp group and prayer sessions. Let’s do this. (DM Mukurima X Muriuki)," he said.
What happened to Irene Wanjiru in UK?
Source: Facebook
Elsewhere, Irene Wanjiru from Gatundu in Kenya had just settled in Birmingham, United Kingdom, when a patient she was taking care of sadly killed her.
The caregiver's life was cut short by a patient who brutally killed her as she was working.
Wanjiru was looking forward to a brighter future with her four kids, two of them had arrived in the country to start living with her and an older child.
Proofreading by Asher Omondi, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
