Tribute to my son who left us too soon

I don’t know whether this article will convey the right emotions but I know from the bottom of my heart that it will convey what cannot be expressed in cold print!

Byrone was and still is a very special kid to me. This is not because he was my blood but because of two reasons: One, he died the exact time he was born; 6 a.m. and two because he was buried the day he was born, eight months earlier.

Byrone arrived in this beautifully cruel world on the chilly morning of May 5 2015 at Nyamira County Hospital. The circumstances surrounding his birth are miraculously strange as his death is.

Before he was born, we were advised to go to a hospital well equipped with a theater and all that pertains to giving birth.

According to the doctor, my wife had a complication and an operation was the best option.

Therefore, on that day I was prepared for the worst but as faithful and wonderful as God is, the birth was seamlessly smooth as I never expected. God never forsook me and I thank Him for seeing me through that difficult and anxious time of my life.

After his birth, everything seemed to fall in place. My younger sister came to my aid since I wasn’t financially stable. Everything from blankets to the child’s personal effects were bought by friends and relatives. Thus he made friends at a tender age.

Byrone grew up as a handsome boy loved by all and sundry. Some even nicknamed him ‘mzungu’ and ‘Ekebarioni’ because of his aggressive nature.

Despite having a short stint in this world, he developed a special bond with his elder brother Victor, his mother Christine and I.

He seldom smiled at anybody apart from his family members. He knew his family well at a tender age. All the other children praised him for his sharp piercing eyes. They believed beyond doubt that he would become a pilot later in life.

His life though short, made our lives complete. His presence raised our spirits. The sonority of his laughter made us happy. That special bond to his family never allowed anybody to touch him apart from his family members.

Eulogizing him can take a whole year though he lived for only eight months. The gap he left can never be filled.

The morning of his death devastated his brother Victor, his mother and I. Victor is yet to come to terms with the death of Byrone. He always asks hard questions whose answers I don’t have but hopefully one day we will unravel.

Victor once told me how he would protect his brother in school. He even knew the kind of cars they would buy when they grew up. Victor tells me that he is dreaming and the only way he can wake up is if we buy a baby boy to fill the void left by Byrone.

We have accepted that our son Byrone will never come back and even if we ask questions, the answers will not come soon. His death has left a painfully empty vacuum in our hearts. Answers to the puzzle of his death are only known by God.