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Elderly wife, husband die, buried same day
Priests pay their last respect to the couple that died in Rukungiri District last week. PHOTO / RONALD KABANZA
What you need to know:
- Stefano Kashiringi and Maria Daudanta died on April 8 at their home in Rukungiri Municipality.
- Daudanta, who had been married for 57 years, developed difficulty in breathing at 2am, leading to her death.
A couple, aged 95, was last week buried at the same time after dying 15 hours apart.
Stefano Kashiringi and Maria Daudanta died on April 8 at their home in Rukungiri Municipality.
Daudanta, who had been married for 57 years, developed difficulty in breathing at 2am, leading to her death.
Kashiringi did not know of the demise of his wife until residents started frequenting their home and after seeing the body of his wife, he went into coma and died at 3pm.
“We never wanted to tell him about the death of his wife because we knew he would also die. I was shocked when he ordered us to take him and see his wife. Upon seeing the dead body, he also collapsed and that was the end of his life,” Mr John Bosco Twinomujuni, the son of the deceased, says.
Mr Twinomujuni says they had earlier lied to their father that his wife was still sleeping, although they could not sustain the lie as people continued flocking their home.
He says his parents had been battling diabetes for 10 years.
The couple that celebrated Golden Jubilee in marriage in 2015, were described as loving and God-fearing, who worked hard for their children’s wellbeing.
“They trained us to love, educated us and gave us confidence that we can do anything. They must be proud that they almost died together because they loved each other,” Ms Betty Kabambabazi, the oldest daughter, says.
Mr Hillary Byensi, 88, a resident, says: “They married each other when I was young, but they loved one another to the extent that they never wanted to leave each other behind while walking. I think it is God’s plan that they have died together and were buried on the same day.”
The duo was buried on April 14 at their home in Kigina Cell, Southern Division in Rukungiri Municipality.
Mr Henry Mugisha, 43, a resident, says the deceased had the kind of love he had never seen.
“They surely loved each other, I used to visit them mostly in the evening hours. Most times, they could go to bed at the same time, eat together and most of all they looked after one another,” he says.
Mr Christopher Musimenta, 56, a resident, says the couple took the responsibility of parenting seriously.
“None of their children are uneducated. They were poor but they used their little resources to support the education of their children and that’s why there is a very big difference between their family and others in terms of development,” Mr Musimenta says.
They are survived by 11 children, 47 grandchildren and 67 great grandchildren.
