A 30-year-old man who rushed to rescue victims of a fatal road accident in Sagana, Kirinyaga County, died in his sleep hours after helping the injured, leaving his family and neighbours shocked.
Kelvin Kanyoro had joined other residents in responding to the Tuesday night crash involving a Toyota Hilux pickup belonging to a milk processing company in Nyeri and a Toyota matatu operated by 2NK Sacco.
The accident, which happened about 50 metres from his family home, claimed the lives of two people and left nine others injured.
Kirinyaga West Sub-County Police Commander Julius Gaya said the pickup was travelling from Sagana towards Makutano when it suffered a tyre burst, causing the driver to lose control.
The vehicle reportedly veered off its lane, entered the trench separating the two carriageways and crossed onto the opposite side, where it collided head-on with the oncoming matatu.
The matatu was travelling from Makutano towards Sagana when the collision occurred.
“On impact, we lost two persons and nine injured — unfortunately the driver of the matatu and a middle-aged lady believed to have been a passenger,” Gaya said.
Kanyoro was among the first people to arrive at the scene because of the accident’s proximity to his home. He helped pull injured passengers from the wreckage and assisted in getting them to safety and medical attention.
Residents said he acted quickly to help those trapped in the matatu as other members of the community gathered at the scene.
After the rescue efforts, Kanyoro returned home and reportedly spent time recounting what he had witnessed to his family.
His father, Mathew Githinji, said his son spoke about the people involved in the crash and the efforts to assist those who had been injured. He also appeared exhausted after the night's events.
However, after going to bed, Kanyoro failed to wake up the following morning.
Concerned family members eventually forced open his bedroom door and found him dead.
The unexpected loss left his relatives struggling to understand what had happened, particularly after he had spent the previous night helping strangers in distress.
News of his death spread through Sagana and neighbouring villages, prompting residents to gather at the Githinji family home to mourn him.
Lucy Waithera, among the relatives and neighbours who visited the homestead, said the family and community were going through a difficult time following the sudden loss.
Commander Gaya also expressed shock after learning that Kanyoro had died hours after helping the accident victims.
Kanyoro's death came as a painful turn of events for his family and the residents who had witnessed his efforts to save others during the crash.
