Wilson Kiprugut: Family sets burial date for athletics legend
Legendary Kenyan athlete Wilson Kiprugut Chumo (centre) poses for a photo on July 22, 2021 with his children Sarah Langat (left) and Gideon Kipngeno at his home in Kipchebor village in Kericho County.
What you need to know:
- The family has organised a fundraising drive at his Kipchebor home in Ainamoi Constituency, Kericho County on Tuesday to cater for the funeral expenses.
Fallen legendary athlete Wilson Kiprugut Chumo will be laid to rest on Friday next week.
The family has organised a fundraising drive at his Kipchebor home in Ainamoi Constituency, Kericho County on Tuesday to cater for the funeral expenses.
“The planning committee will in due course be issuing updates as we firm up the plans for Mzee’s send off,” Gideon Kipngeno, Chumo's last born son, told Nation Sport on Thursday.
Kipngeno said the meetings would be held at the family home. The sports fraternity has also asked to be involved in the process.
Chumo, the first Kenyan to win a medal in the Olympics, developed breathing complications at his home before being rushed to the hospital on Tuesday.
He died at around 1.30pm while undergoing treatment at Siloam hospital in Kericho town barely half an hour after he suddenly fell ill.
“Before developing the complications, he had not been hospitalised and had not been in pain other than the usual condition of old age,” Kipngeno said.
The body was moved to the Siloam hospital mortuary before a postmortem is conducted.
Sarah Langat, Mzee’s Chumo’s first born daughter, said her father was a “loving, hardworking and honest person who inculcated strong Christian values on his family members.”
Chumo has for several years been battling hypertension and diabetes and has been confined to his homestead.
His memory has been fading as a result of old age, and has been relying on the support of his family members for mobility.
