A Kenyan family has been plunged into mourning following the sudden death of a 23-year-old woman who collapsed and died while playing football with her employer’s young son in Saudi Arabia.
Joy had travelled thousands of kilometres from home in search of better opportunities, hoping to transform her family’s financial situation. Sadly, her ambitions were cut short by a tragedy that has left her mother struggling to understand how a daughter she had spoken to just days earlier could suddenly be gone.
The heartbreaking incident has sparked grief among relatives, with the family now appealing for assistance to bring Joy’s remains back to Kenya for burial.
Speaking during an interview, Joy’s mother emotionally recalled their final conversations, revealing that nothing about their last phone call suggested that her daughter was facing any immediate danger.
According to the grieving mother, the two last spoke on a Tuesday, and Joy appeared to be doing well. However, when she attempted to reach her on Wednesday, her daughter did not answer the phone.
Initially, she was not overly concerned, assuming that Joy was probably busy attending to her responsibilities at her employer’s home.
Little did she know that the silence would mark the beginning of a devastating discovery.
Looking back, the mother recalled some disturbing conversations she had previously shared with her daughter. Joy had reportedly contacted her several times, asking her to pray for her after experiencing frightening recurring dreams.
In one of the conversations, the young woman allegedly told her mother that she kept dreaming about people attempting to kill her.
On another occasion, she reportedly described seeing herself lying on the floor. She also recalled waking up with an unusual sensation, as though electricity was passing through her body.
Although the experiences frightened her, Joy continued with her daily responsibilities.
Her mother maintained that the young woman had never complained about mistreatment by her employer. Instead, she reportedly described the employer as a decent person who treated her well.
The family was therefore left even more devastated by the sudden news, particularly because Joy had no known history of chest complications or other underlying medical conditions.
Joy’s journey to Saudi Arabia was largely driven by her determination to give her family a better life.
Her mother disclosed that the 23-year-old was making her second attempt at securing employment abroad. During her first experience, she reportedly encountered difficulties after an employer failed to pay her salary, forcing her to return to Kenya.
Despite the disappointing experience, Joy refused to abandon her dream.
After spending some time at home, she decided to travel abroad once again, hoping that the second opportunity would finally bring the financial breakthrough her family desperately needed.
Her mother described her as a hardworking firstborn daughter who carried enormous hopes for the family.
“She was my firstborn. She went to Saudi so she can change all our lives,” the grieving mother said.
Unfortunately, the daughter who had travelled abroad hoping to lift her family out of financial struggles will never return home alive.
The tragedy has also left behind a five-year-old child, who is now expected to be raised by the grandmother following the death of his mother.
For Joy’s mother, one of the most painful experiences has been watching a video showing her daughter’s final moments. She reportedly struggles to reconcile the images with the vibrant young woman she had spoken to shortly before the tragedy.
Beyond the emotional pain, the family is now facing the difficult financial and logistical challenge of repatriating Joy’s body from Saudi Arabia to Kenya.
They are appealing to well-wishers, friends and other compassionate Kenyans to assist them in bringing their daughter home so that she can receive a dignified burial among her loved ones.
Joy’s death is a painful reminder of the sacrifices many young Kenyans make when travelling abroad in search of employment and a better future for their families.
For her mother, however, the loss is deeply personal. She has lost her firstborn daughter, a young mother and the person she believed would help transform the family’s future.
A journey that began with dreams of a better tomorrow has ended in unimaginable grief, leaving a five-year-old child growing up without his mother and a family desperately waiting to bring their loved one home.
