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Another tragedy hits Kones family as daughter Vicky dies in hospital

By Tom Osanjo April 20th, 2019 2 min read

Tragedy has once again visited the home of former Cabinet Minister the late Kipkalya Kones following the death of his daughter Vicky Chebet Kones earlier this week.

“Vicky had been unwell but her condition worsened on Tuesday night. She was rushed to hospital where the doctors tried to stabilise her but, unfortunately, she did not make it,” her brother Kevin Kones said on Friday.

Her death comes almost two months after her brother Collins Kipyegon Kalya, 39, passed away.

Mr Kalya died at the Intensive Care Unit in Nakuru’s War Memorial Hospital where he had been rushed after a suicide attempt.

Before the act, Collins had posted on social media that he would kill himself, saying he was tired of life. Moments later, friends who read his post and rushed to his house found him unconscious, according to press reports.

At his burial, his mother, Bomet East Member of Parliament Beatrice Kones – who had to cut short a work-related trip to South Africa – wondered why her son took his own life yet there was nothing he lacked in his life.

ALCOHOL ADDICTION

Those who knew Vicky disclosed that she had been battling alcohol addiction for a long time, a condition that saw her check into rehabilitation centres several times.

She was keen to overcome her addiction and even became a counsellor, helping others battle alcoholism, as well as going public about her struggle.

“She admitted that she was battling this condition and was always trying to live clean,” Kevin told the Saturday Nation.

She appeared on TV several times advising those affected and those living with addicts on how they could handle the situation.

Her death shocked many of her friends who took to social media to express their grief and celebrate the good times they had shared with her.

TRIBUTES

Teresa Kangogo said: “So sad. She made me change careers from being a teacher to an addiction (counsellor).” David Mitei wrote: “Oh not again. The grave where we interred the late brother is still fresh, even the roses are fresh and yet death has no sympathy (sic).”

Kennedy Odhiambo Nyaminde reminisced: “One day a few years back we were driving down to Kisumu on a Saturday morning with a friend. On reaching the Naivasha roadblock we were arrested for speeding and taken to the police station. The cops were demanding Sh10,000 cash bail. As we were still bargaining a white Toyota VX drives in, this lady alights and on seeing my friend comes and greets us and tells my pal who was (also) her friend that she owed him after he did her a favour. She paid our bail and that is how we were let off the hook.”

“It is unbelievable that Vicky is no more. I met Vicky as one of my students at African Nazarene University. I loved her the very first time in class and she became a friend. She had great dream of becoming the greatest counsellor. A very friendly person, big heart, very knowledgeable and resilient. It is sad not to have you any more, Vicky,” wrote Njeri Kirathia.