Former Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) David Osiany has shared a heartbreaking glimpse into his visit with Dennis Nyakeri and his wife, Pastor Rebecca Maina, who tragically lost their 15-year-old daughter, Sheryl, in the Utumishi Academy fire.
Dennis first drew widespread attention for his frantic, desperate appeals for information just hours after the fire broke out.
Viral video clips captured him trying to make sense of the chaos, even as security personnel pushed him around—at times displaying a jarring lack of empathy as the crisis unfolded.
The family’s worst fears were later confirmed when they were notified that Sheryl had perished in the inferno.
In photos and videos shared by Osiany, Dennis is seen struggling to come to terms with the devastating loss. One poignant moment captures him locked in a tight embrace with Osiany as the former CAS softly and soulfully sings Malengo ya Mungu by Israel Mbonyi:
As Osiany crooned the melody, Dennis fought back tears, his lips occasionally moving along with the lyrics, grasping for whatever comfort the words could offer. A inches way stood Sheryl’s mother, Rebecca, silently battling her emotions while surrounded by supportive relatives and friends. It is a tragedy too profound for words.
The scenes from Utumishi Academy made it clear that Dennis shared a profoundly special bond with his daughter. It is often said that to a daughter, a father is the ultimate blueprint of a man, and to a father, a daughter represents the most unconditional love on earth. For Dennis, this was a beautiful reality he cherished for 15 years.
Now, at his home in Narok, when he is not embracing the steady stream of family, friends, and strangers arriving to offer condolences, he is tightly clutching a framed photo of Sheryl. It has become his most prized possession.
According to post-mortem examinations, all 16 victims of the tragedy succumbed to severe burns. Because of the intensity of the fire, Sheryl must be identified through DNA testing. The heartbreaking reality is that Dennis will never see his daughter’s face again, even in death. He is left to agonizingly piece together her final moments, imagining her struggle against the smoke and flames, a mental battle that offers no respite.
Osiany revealed a painful conversation Dennis had with a fellow parent who came to comfort him. Dennis referenced Psalm 90:10, which states:
“The length of our days is seventy years—or eighty, if we have the strength…”
Dennis then paused and asked through his grief, “Where does 15 years fit into this? How does God allow my 15-year-old to die?”
It is a question that the parents of all 16 victims are likely asking. These children died in their teenage years, just as life was beginning to make sense to them and their families, and just as they were starting to envision their futures.
Osiany noted that the sheer weight of this tragedy and the agonizing reality of the families’ grief compelled him to skip his regular church service in Lavington and make the journey to Narok. This presence and solidarity are exactly the kind of support these grieving families need as they attempt to navigate the unimaginable.