Tragedy of Bomet student who died three days after joining university
Felix Kipyagon, 19, the Kirinyaga University student who died 19 days after hospitalisation following illness he developed as he waited to be admitted to the learning institution.
What you need to know:
- Bomet County Assembly Deputy Speaker, Leonard Rotich, who is also the Chesoen ward Member of the County Assembly (MCA), said it was unfortunate that the society had lost a young man with a bright future.
- “It is unfortunate that Kipyegon died the way he did when the immediate family and members of the local community had so much hope in him,” Mr Rotich said in an interview.
When 19-year-old Felix Kipyegon bid farewell to his family in Kibisorwet village, Bomet County, to begin his university education three weeks ago, there was excitement and high expectations.
Having scored a B- (minus) in the 2023 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams at Kamungei Secondary School, Kipyegon was set to pursue a Bachelor of Education (Science) at Kirinyaga University.
His journey was one of hope for his family, who believed he would be the key to transforming their humble background.
However, just three days after arriving at the university, Kipyegon developed an acute headache while queuing with fellow first-year students for registration.
He was treated at the institution’s dispensary and advised to rest, but his condition quickly worsened, and he was rushed to Kerugoya County Hospital, where he was diagnosed with bacterial meningitis and admitted for further treatment.
Kipyegon’s health did not improve and after 10 days in the hospital, his family decided to transfer him to Tenwek Hospital in Bomet county, where they hoped he would receive better care.
After a series of tests, doctors at Tenwek diagnosed him with acute Tuberculosis Meningitis, a severe condition that required immediate intensive care.
Kipyegon was placed in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for five days but tragically passed away on September 14, 19 days after falling ill.
Mrs Celestine Korir, mother of Felix Kipyagon, who died 19 days after hospitalisation following illness he developed as he waited to be admitted to the learning institution during the interview at their home in Kipleji, Bomet County on September 18, 2024.
“We had high hopes for Felix. He was a bright and hardworking student, and we believed he would be the one to uplift our family after completing his studies. His death has devastated us and we are appealing for support from well-wishers as apart from losing him, we have been left with a bill of over Sh400,000 including funeral expenses,” Kipyegon’s elder brother, Victor Kirui told Nation.Africa.
Kipyegon’s sudden illness and death have left his family in shock as he had no history of serious health issues.
When Nation.Africa visited their home, and his mother Celestine Korir sat pensively as mourners trickled in to offer their condolences.
“The news that my son fell sick and was hospitalised while queuing for admission was shocking. I am yet to comprehend what happened,” Mrs Koris said.
She described her last-born son as a focused and disciplined young man, and the family had looked forward to his settling down at university, completing his education, and securing a job.
“Unfortunately, we sent him off in high spirits, and now he will return home in a coffin. We depended on him to change our future, but now all we have is pain and loss,” she said tearfully.
Mrs Koris revealed they relied on a community fundraising effort to send Kipyegon to university, and now, faced with hospital bills amounting to over Sh400,000, they are appealing for help once again.
“On our own, we would not have been able to raise money for him to go to university. But much as we had so much hope for him in the future, death has claimed him, and we are leaving everything to God. We are appealing for support from well-wishers to help us settle the hospital bill and funeral expenses,” said Mrs Korir.
Relatives, neighbours, and well-wishers have been streaming into the family’s compound, offering not only condolences, but also foodstuffs, firewood, and other essentials to support the grieving family.
“The entire village is heartbroken,” said Josephat Ngeno, a neighbor. “Felix was a role model to many young people here. His passing is a great loss, not just to his family, but to the community as a whole.”
Kipyegon had secured a rental house near the university with his fellow students, but he never had the chance to settle in before falling ill.
Mr Josephat Ngeno, a neighbour to the family, said a fundraising has been lined up for Friday to offset the expenses, while the funeral has tentatively been set for Monday next week.
Bomet County Assembly Deputy Speaker, Leonard Rotich, who is also the Chesoen ward Member of the County Assembly (MCA), said it was unfortunate that the society had lost a young man with a bright future.
“It is unfortunate that Kipyegon died the way he did when the immediate family and members of the local community had so much hope in him,” Mr Rotich said in an interview.
“The deceased was a role model to other children in the area and embodied the spirit of hard work and one’s focus on education despite the humble background he came from.”
