Godwin Ochimana

Hey Mom,

It’s been one year already, and I still can’t wrap my head around the fact that you’re gone.

Saturday, 11th October 2025. The day I received the phone call that changed everything. It was race day, and I was just pulling into the parking lot when Popsi called to say he was trying to wake you up.

I left the starting line and drove straight back home. How I managed to get home that morning was nothing short of a miracle. But by the time I arrived, it was already too late. You had gone peacefully, in your sleep.

I’m still livid. For a very long time, I couldn’t even talk about what happened. I buried my emotions and tried to carry on as though I was okay. Death came when we least expected it, and I had no idea how to grieve. It all felt like a terrible dream, one I kept hoping I would wake up from.

A year has passed, yet some days, it still doesn’t feel real.
But through it all, I’m grateful to God for the gift of you. For your life, your love, and the beautiful memories you left behind. I’m grateful for the way you loved us, for the little things I sometimes took for granted, and for the parts of me that will always carry you.

We find great solace in knowing that you’re resting peacefully in heaven with the Lord, and we hold on to the comfort of believing that you’re watching over us.

We will continue to uphold your legacy, carry your love in our hearts, and love one another the way you always loved us. Your love lives on in us, Mom, and no matter how much time passes, a part of you will always remain with us.

I miss you, Mom. More than words can ever explain.
One year without you, and I’m still learning how to live with the space you left behind.