From school to ground zero: Young nurse's heroic response to Nandi chopper crash

On Saturday, February 28, 2026, Ms Jeptoo and her mother Ms Magdalene Bittok were relaxing at their home in Chepkiep Village after church. At about 4.20pm, a thunderous sound shattered the calm.

"A helicopter had gone down near our home and the wreckage caught fire. It was shocking...but as a trained nurse, this was a time to try and save lives," she recalled.

The crash claimed the life of Emurua Dikirr Member of Parliament Johana Ng'eno, pilot Captain George Were, photojournalist Nick Kosgei and forest ranger Amos Kipngetich Rotich, teacher Robert Kipkoech Keter and a protocol officer from Narok County Wycliffe Kiprotich Rono.

Ms Jeptoo risked her own life amid flames and fuel fumes from the burnt aircraft in an effort to save lives of the six.

"I grabbed the only pair of sterile gloves l had and a mask and rushed to the crash scene. A small crowd had gathered, including my two brothers who are secondary school students. The aircraft was still on fire. My training just took over. Every second I hesitated was a second they didn’t have,” she told the Nation about the experience that marked a defining moment in her young nursing career.

Read: Carlos Keter: Teacher who died in Nandi chopper crash had not earned first salary

Of the six people on board, she said that four had died. However, two were still alive; they had even attempted to crawl away from the fire.

First aid

The 22-year-old medic immediately assessed the first victim, using the basic emergency principles. She conducted first aid and tried to help the victim who had difficulties in breathing. Blood was oozing from his mouth, ears and nose.

“He showed signs of severe internal bleeding. He also had swelling around the neck. He succumbed to the injuries five minutes later," revealed Jeptoo.

Read: Our hopes are shattered, family of journalist Nick Kosgei says after Nandi chopper crash 

"After the death of the first victim, I moved to the next victim, who was even raising his hand. I tried positioning the injured man and monitoring his airway. The extensive burns were consistent with second-degree injuries. He was bleeding heavily," she narrated.

Despite her efforts to help, the second victim died, too.

“The injuries were too severe; the second victim fought for about 30 minutes before passing on," she said.

"I told my brothers to rush home and bring bedsheet to cover the bodies. I closely monitored the second victim, who was still alive, as I waited for emergency responders whom we had called. He fought for about 30 minutes before he died,” she recalled.

According to Jeptoo, some of the victims were trapped under a tree that fell after being hit by the helicopter. Members of the public later helped move the tree before the bodies were retrieved. For nearly two hours, Jeptoo remained at the scene. Hundreds of bystanders who had arrived watched the horrific scene in shock.

"Others took photos while a few even cautioned me against touching the victims," she told Daily Nation during the interview.  

Emergency responders eventually arrived from Kapsabet County Referral Hospital at about 7.00pm. By then, all the six occupants on the helicopter had died.

"The emergency services let us down. They arrived two hours late. If they had arrived earlier, I am sure the patient who waited for thirty minutes would have been saved. Something could have been done. I was the only medic there. I showed the other people there how to perform first aid: putting the victims in the recovery position and checking their airways. We really tried,” she explained.

Read: 'We warned them about the rain': Villagers recount final moments before chopper crash

Jeptoo said that some leaders started arriving hours later, before the police secured the crash scene. She later learnt that among the victims was Emurrua Dikirr MP Johana Ng'eno.

In the aftermath of the tragedy, Jeptoo reflected not only on the lives lost but also on the public’s response to emergencies.

"I urge Kenyans to act with humanity in moments of crisis. Taking photos in such a crisis is inhuman. Most of those who arrived at the scene were taking photos instead of embarking on saving lives," she told the Nation.

She also emphasised the importance of basic disaster management training for the public, noting that such knowledge could make a critical difference in the first crucial minutes after an accident.

“My message to Kenyans is, if there is something you can do for somebody, just do it. Not everything has to be recorded,” she advised.

Jeptoo completed her final examinations but is yet to sit her Nursing Council of Kenya licensing exam.

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