A completely
devastated Mr David Gotore lost his wife Mary (42) and their two children
Atalia (21) and Kiara (5) on March 28 in Louis Trichardt, in the neighbouring
country. Sadly, Kiara passed away just seven days before her sixth birthday.
This was after
the car his wife was driving was involved in a head-on collision with a truck
that encroached onto their lane after its brakes failed. One of their children
who was also in the car survived.
On the fateful
day, his wife and children were travelling from Musina to Louis Trichardt and
Mr Gotore was also travelling from Bulawayo to South Africa when the
devastating news reached him.
The weight of
the message that his wife and two children had died proved too heavy a burden.
Overwhelmed by grief, he suffered depression and was admitted in hospital for
four days.
In his tribute, which was read by a relative, Mr Gotore said that it was hard to accept the death of his loved ones when he did not get to say goodbye.
He also
described his wife of 25 years as his pillar of support.
“My heart is
heavy. My soul is torn. I stand before you, not just as a grieving husband and
father — but as a man carrying the weight of a shattered world. Mary
Makumbe-Gotore, my beloved wife, my strength, my rock — was not just the
heartbeat of our home, she was the silent power behind actions that changed our
lives.
“Atalia, you
were quiet like your mother, but so full of dreams. You carried your sister
when she needed it. Kiara, my bold one — you were spirited, yes, but also
bright, fearless and wonderfully kind. Your energy could not be contained. Now
I am left alone,” said Mr Gotore.
After Mr
Gotore’s tribute, a wave of shared sorrow rippled through the crowd, leaving no
soul untouched by the sheer weight of his loss.
He emotionally
thanked his family, relatives and friends as well as the people who came to
support him, including a Mrs Dube from Revival Motorways, his former employer,
and all the other transport operators in Bulawayo he once worked with who were
there to support him.
For Mr Gotore,
the loss was so unbearable that he felt as though the world had closed in on
him.
The sudden and
devastating accident stole his wife and two children, leaving a void so
profound that it eclipsed all else. It was a sad sight during the funeral
service to see three coffins, each adorned with pictures of the deceased.
During the
service, some mourners were unable to contain their tears, their sobs echoing
the immense sorrow that filled the room.
Speaker after
speaker stood up to pay their respects describing the loss felt not only by the
Gotore family but also by their extended families, relatives and the wider
community.
It was a sombre
atmosphere as the hearses with the coffins made their way to Luveve Cemetery
where the trio was buried.
The three were
laid to rest on Saturday last week. Chronicle
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