Davies Mochere Gwaro, popularly known as DJ D-Vice (R), died on September 7, in an early morning accident in New Jersey. [Courtesy]

Wednesday, October 6, 2021, will go down in the memory of most residents of Masongo village, Kisii County, who witnessed the burial of a US-based Kenyan Disc Jockey and his mother.

Family members said the loss of the two had left them with wounds that would take ages to heal.

Jeremiah Gwaro, the husband and father said his wife raised their three children in church and with dedication. “She was all I had. Life will never be the same again.”

Davies Mochere Gwaro, popularly known as DJ D-Vice, died on Tuesday, September 7, in an early morning accident in New Jersey while on his way home from a night shift.

DJ D-Vice (left) with his mother Hellen Bonareri. [Courtesy]

Fred Leakey, D-Vice's cousin, said Hellen Bonareri (DJ D-Vice’s mother) lost consciousness shortly after receiving the news of her son’s demise, went into a coma and hours later, died.

Bonareri, a primary school teacher who retired in June this year, was rushed to War Memorial Hospital where she breathed her last.

"After confirming the death of DJ D-Vice, our aunt Hellen collapsed, went into a coma and shortly after also died," he said.

Reports by New Jersey State Trooper (police officer), Charles Marchan, indicated that DJ D-Vice was driving a Honda Civic on 287 north ramp to Interstate 78 east in Bridgewater when he met his death at around 1:05 am.

DJ D-Vice. [Courtesy]

“The deceased hit a left metal guardrail on the exit ramp then hit the right guardrail and subsequently hit a metal fence and tree. He suffered fatal injuries as a result. An investigation is underway,” said Marchan.

The two, mother and son, had a close bond and were laid to rest together Wednesday.

In the middle of the family’s compound, a white tent was erected to house the duo’s caskets and a grass carpet underneath. Herein, lay the white casket which had DJ D-Vice’s remains a brown casket net to it with Bonareri’s remains.

Three months before the tragic accident, DJ D-Vice had penned a moving tribute to his mother, describing how growing up with a teacher was one of the best things that had happened to him.

“She never treated us (my siblings and I) special in class. She taught us how to read and write before we joined nursery school. She saw my talent in art and I made all the drawings and charts on the walls and drew diagrams on the blackboard for her during lessons,” he said.

DJ D-Vice. [Courtesy]

The 100-word tribute was concluded by ‘Mom ~ you’re not teaching anymore and I’m not a student but you can always use me for practice. We love you mum’.

In response, Bonareri told his son, “What you can see when you are up there on the tree, I see when I'm standing down here,”.

The death of the two has left the family dumbfounded, with emotions running high during the burial ceremony at their Kisii home.