Nairobi News

Former “Machachari” actor Ian Nene, alias Almasi has recently shared a deeply personal story about his mother’s battle with cancer.

Ian’s revelation took place during his appearance on the 1clubofficial podcast, on an episode titled “How to Find your Life Purpose From a Monk – Ian Nene.”

The podcast began with Ian reminiscing about his academic journey.

Also read: I got hostility for sharing my prostate cancer battle – Prof Anyang’ Nyong’o

He shared how he had been accepted into a prestigious American university, a dream come true for the talented actor.

He described the excitement of being admitted to the American School for the Dramatic Arts, a school he had always aspired to attend.

However, the dream took an unexpected turn when the financial burden proved to be insurmountable.

“I managed to get a scholarship to one of the top drama schools that we have back home. And then I had applied to my dream school which was in America, The American School for the Dramatic Arts. And I got in, but it was too expensive!” Ian shared.

The mood of the conversation shifted as Ian delved into an unknown and poignant chapter of his life.

He began to speak about a significant moment involving his mother.

“Later on, my mom called and told me that she had some news for me. Obviously, I rushed home. My mom never really talks like that. If she does talk like that, you know that there is something up,” Ian expressed.

During this heartfelt conversation, his mother delivered life-changing news.
“So I went home, she sat me down and told me that she went to the hospital. I got a body scan, and they found out that I had cancer,” Ian said.

Also read: Karen Nyamu opens up about her mother’s heartbreaking battle with cancer

Ian first publicly disclosed his mother’s illness in 2022.

He recounted how, upon learning the news, his immediate reaction was a profound fear that his mother’s life was at risk. This fear plunged him into a spiral of drug abuse.

“I got home, and my mom sat me down. She said, ‘Ian, I have something to tell you… I went to the hospital, and the doctors conducted a scan. They examined me and told me I have cancer.”

She added that it was breast cancer, but it had advanced to stage four, spreading to my lungs. I was shocked, and I thought, ‘Oh my God…,'” he shared during a conversation with YouTuber Shivani Pau.

“I’m a mama’s boy; my mother raised me single-handedly. My father was seldom present in my life. When something like this happens, your mind immediately goes to the worst-case scenario. You think, ‘She’s going to die, and then what?’

So, I decided to numb my emotions by indulging in substance abuse, reaching higher and higher levels. While I was in my room, I questioned God, ‘If you truly exist in this world, why do you allow bad things to happen to good people?’

I wondered why my mom, who served and helped so many people, was the one battling cancer,” he continued.

Also read: Cancer and mental health: Psychological impact of cancer survivorship