The Sunday Mail
Veronica Gwaze
Following the heartbreaking death of Zimbabwe Wheelchair Basketball Captain Constance Mukuwaro, her husband Canmore Ngorima has been forced to step up and single-handedly take care of their children.
Mukuwaro, who captained the national wheelchair basketball team for close to a decade, died after a short illness on April 24. She was 42.
The Tafara star, who also played for Danhiko Basketball club, had polio-induced leg disability which had her battling to walk from infancy.
Now, for the first time in their 12-years of marriage, the father of two (10 and eight) will be celebrating Father’s Day alone with the children at their home in Mabvuku.
As the world celebrates Father’s Day today, to him this year’s celebrations denote the beautiful gift of love shared between him and his children.
“Since we got married in 2008, we would celebrate Father’s Day and other days like Valentine’s together,” recounts Ngorima.
“I always came home to a surprise, and then we would go out or simply prepare a meal together.
“Connie loved to surprise me and this year it’s sure to be weird and empty.
“I am alone with the kids . . . there is nothing to look forward to.”
Ngorima still finds it difficult to speak of his wife’s death, as the wounds are still fresh and he still has a lot to ponder.
What with schools opening soon, and being a single parent in charge of two minors.
The 45-year-old has to figure out how he will balance preparing the children for school — when schools eventually reopen, going to work and doing all household chores.
He works at a local company and due to a tight timetable and the fact that he sometimes has to travel, he will need to squeeze in extra duties.
“I am not sure how I am going to do it once lockdown is over,” Ngorima said.
“All this just brings back memories of my wife’s last days during which I watched her battle the illness.
“I remember her last words to me, she said, ‘please be there for our children’”.
“A part of me died with her and so did all the Father’s days and other celebrations that will follow.
“I’m alone now, and will have to step up and play both the motherly and fatherly roles for my kids.”
Ngorima remembers the four gruesome nights he spent on Mukuwaro’s bedside at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals.
How he would drive home in the mornings to check on their children, before going to work.
“For four nights, I had to be there for the children at home and be there for her in hospital,” he said.
“My sister in-law and other relatives were supportive, but you know there is nothing as precious as a mother and father’s love for the children.
“I remember the last Friday, around four in the morning, I had been up the entire night and somehow that day was different.
“I felt that if I shut my eyes to sleep, I would lose her, and eventually took a short nap at dawn.
“It was in that short moment that she started shaking aggressively. I held her and tried to talk to her, but that was to be her last moment.
“She died, took a piece of me with her and left me and the kids. I have had to adjust and the transition has not been easy,” he said.
Mukuwaro’s elder sister, Chipo, celebrated Ngorima for the sacrifice he is making to ensure all his children’s needs are catered for.
“In my sister, we lost the heart of the family, but the husband has stood up to be a blessing of a father.
“He is there for the children despite the challenges brought by the Covid-19 outbreak and soldiers on the best way he can.
“The children are well taken care of, although what worries us now is how he will manage post-Covid-19.
“I wanted to take the children with me, but after Connie’s death, he is too attached and does not want to live separately from his children,” she said.
