31/07/2025
A CRY FOR HELP ...
On 5th July 2020, a young Kenyan woman named Lucy Atieno made a heartbreaking decision.
Overwhelmed and in pain, she threw herself in front of a train at a station in Vienna, Austria.
Before taking her life, Lucy had called a friend and the police — a final cry for help that came too late.
She was just 35 years old.
Lucy had lived in Austria for several years.
Like many in the diaspora, she had once dared to dream. She started a small business that later collapsed. With no steady income and increasing pressure from home to send money, she became trapped in a cycle of silent suffering.
Those who knew her said she battled depression quietly.
Life in a foreign country felt cold, isolating, and emotionally draining. She had no safe space to unburden her soul. In the end, the weight of it all became too much — and Lucy chose silence, forever.
On 29th July 2020, Lucy was cremated in Vienna.
Her ashes were brought back home and laid to rest in Seme, Kisumu County.
Her final journey brought her community together — not just to mourn, but to listen.
To reflect.
To talk about the things we often hide.
Lucy’s story touched many.
It shattered illusions and opened raw, urgent conversations about mental health, diaspora struggles, and the danger of bottling pain behind forced smiles and quiet endurance.
Her family now pleads with us all — please check on your loved ones, especially those living abroad.
Behind the photos, behind the remittances, behind the “I’m okay” — there may be unspoken battles.
Encourage open conversations.
Normalize seeking help.
Let no one suffer in silence.
Rest in peace, Lucy.
Your life mattered.
Your pain will not be forgotten.
May your story spark healing and compassion for many.
