George Were was piloting a Eurocopter 350 aircraft, registration 5Y-DSB, owned by Corporate Helicopters, which was ferrying Emurua Dikirr Member of Parliament Johana Ngeno and four other passengers when the helicopter crashed into a forested area in Mosop, Nandi County, killing all those on board instantly.
During Were’s burial ceremony held in Nyakach, Kisumu County on Saturday, March 14, his wife Emily Were told mourners that the shocking news first reached her through posts circulating on social media before any official communication was made to the family.
On when she suddenly noticed multiple online posts reporting about a helicopter crash involving her husband, prompting her to immediately attempt contacting his employer for clarification.
However, she said her repeated attempts to reach Corporate Helicopters by phone were unsuccessful at the time, which heightened her anxiety as she struggled to confirm whether the disturbing reports were true.
The grieving widow revealed that as the minutes passed, the increasing circulation of the news online gradually confirmed her worst fears, leaving her devastated by the realization that her husband might have been among the victims.
Emily further shared that one of her immediate concerns was the emotional impact the tragic news would have on their children, especially because social media spreads information quickly and they could learn about the incident suddenly.
She therefore decided to contact her children immediately to prepare them psychologically before the heartbreaking news reached them from other sources online or through friends and public platforms.
According to Emily, she asked one of her sons to help inform his siblings about the situation so that the family could support one another as they processed the painful news together.
Corporate Helicopters later contacted her to officially confirm the pilot’s death, although by that time she had already begun accepting the devastating reality following the overwhelming information circulating online.
Emily also used the opportunity to appreciate President William Ruto and Deputy President Kithure Kindiki for assisting the family during the difficult period by facilitating travel arrangements for their children who were stranded abroad due to tensions in the Middle East.
The late George Were was laid to rest a week after the burial of the other victims including MP Johana Ngeno, Nick Kosgey, Carlos Keter and Amos Rotich, who were buried earlier following the tragic helicopter accident that shocked the nation.
Post a Comment