Exactly a year ago, Form Three student Irene Mumbi’s life changed after she ran into a burning house to rescue her disabled mother. She ended up sustaining life threatening burns for her gallant efforts.
On Sunday June 9, the Temple Road Secondary School student was discharged from Tenri Embu Children Hospital.
Staff at the hospital could not hold tears of joy as they bid farewell to Mumbi whom they had gotten attached to during her battle with burns wounds.
The hospital’s administration and the medical team handed her a plaque containing a certificate of appreciation that was inscribed; “For the fearlessness and the bravery you exhibited in saving your mother from a burning house”.
Mumbi, 18, will have to live with severe scars caused by burns from the house a year ago and which left her unable to go to school.
NO REGRETS
During an interview with Nation in November, she said she did not regret her decision to save her mother and the baby.
“Though the child succumbed to the burns, I am happy to see my mother alive without any injuries,” said Mumbi during the interview.
On that fateful day, at around 6:30pm, a neighbour complained that her gas cylinder was leaking. Mumbi advised her to replace the burner and continued to watch her favourite programme as she cooked.
Barely an hour later, she heard a loud blast from her neighbour’s house. The cylinder had exploded and burst into flames.
Mumbi quickly dragged her disabled mother Ann Wangeci to safety outside the gate as her neighbours also scampered for safety. (Nairobi news)