Kenyatta University Medical Student Dies Suddenly Just 2 Months to Graduation
- Willis Oyugi Onyango, a final-year medical student at Kenyatta University, died suddenly just two months before his graduation
- Having lost his mother in childhood and left to care for their ailing father, Willis had a dream of becoming a doctor
- The family will now return home, not to celebrate a graduation, but to bury the man whose childhood dream was so close to fruition
The medical fraternity is mourning the untimely death of Willis Oyugi Onyango, a final-year medical student at Kenyatta University, who passed away suddenly just two months shy of his graduation.
Source: Facebook
Willis had become a symbol of resilience and hope for a family that had already endured more than its fair share of hardship.
Why Willis Oyugi Onyango dreamt of becoming doctor
Atieno Otieno told TUKO.co.ke that having lost their mother when they were young and with their father ailing, the siblings had clung to each other as they navigated life’s storms.
Search option is now available at TUKO! Feel free to search the content on topics/people you enjoy reading about in the top right corner ;)
She added that Willis' dream of becoming a doctor from childhood served as a light at the end of a long, dark tunnel.
“He had the flu and some chest pain,” Otieno recalled of her last conversation with him. “I asked him to go to the hospital, but he said it was nothing serious. 'Hiyo ni kitu kidogo'.”
The heartbroken sister added that even in his twilight days, the deceased student remained stoic, as he always was — brave, calm, unwavering.
True to her nurturing nature, Otieno still sent him money for medicine, warm bedding, and a trench coat, gestures that now echo with heartbreaking finality.
How did Willis Oyugi Onyango die?
The tragedy struck unexpectedly. Willis walked into a restaurant to have lunch. He placed his order. Before his meal could be served, he collapsed — and just like that, he was gone.
His death has left his family shattered.
“Niko tu around,” Otieno said, unable to admit she would soon have to return home, not to celebrate her brother's graduation, but to lay him to rest.
In her heart, she still holds onto the hope that this is all a terrible mistake. That her brother, her hero, will come back.
She expressed how losing him now, just when the finish line was in sight, feels too cruel to accept.
Source: Facebook
How to support Willis Oyugi Onyango's funeral
As the family grapples with the devastating loss, they are also faced with the heavy burden of funeral expenses.
A fundraising effort has been launched to help them give Willis a dignified send-off. To support the family, contributions can be sent to the funeral treasurer via M-Pesa: 0726 984 298.
Let us stand with Willis Oyugi Onyango's family and honour the memory and dream he carried so close to fruition.
Every gesture counts, a show of love, of community, and shared grief. May he rest in peace.
Kenyatta University students pay tribute to Willis
Taking to their different social media pages, Kenyatta University students, friends and family paid wholesome tributes to the departed comrade, and regretted he had died when his star was beginning to shine.
On his Facebook, Stephen Kiguru mentioned that Willis was more than just a friend as he was an inspiration, a quiet fighter whose life journey was a testament to resilience, determination, and the transformative power of education.
"As a sixth-year medical student at Kenyatta University, Willis had come so far, not because life was easy for him, but because he refused to give up, even when the odds were stacked high against him," he said.
He revealed Willis was orphaned at a young age, but he persevered through every struggle.
"Through sheer grit and God's grace, he rose from the depths of poverty and pressed forward, fueled by a deep desire to rewrite his story through education," he said.
Nyar KB also mourned him, saying they were classmates in primary school.
"May he rest in peace," she added.
Kenyan student dies in Russia after graduation
Elsewhere, a Kenyan man will sadly not be able to live up to his full potential after completing his studies abroad.
The university student died under mysterious circumstances shortly after graduating, leaving his family in unimaginable pain.
His last post, shared on his graduation day, went viral online, detailing his academic journey and the people who supported him along the way.
Racheal Nyaguthie, HoD Human Interest, added the section on tributes.
Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
