Family Seeks Help In Burying Ice Storm Crash Victim In Kenya

Icy roads took the life of an Oklahoma semi driver last weekend, and the husband and father of two died along I-40 near Weatherford.

His widow talked about the challenges she faces moving forward.

Gideon Gachohi was from Kenya but had lived in Oklahoma with his family for 15 years. 

Now, his wife Jane wants to take him back to his native home for the last time. 

"It's tough. It's still very fresh," said Jane Njuguna, Gideon's widow. 

Njuguna and her two children, 12-year-old David and 10-year-old Naomi suffered an unexpected loss.

"He loved his children in a special way," Njuguna said. 

Gideon was also was a mechanic and owned a small trucking business.

"He told me he was loaded and heading off and that was the last time I talked to him," Njuguna said. 

On January 14, he was involved in a four-vehicle crash on I-40 near Weatherford.

1/14/2017 Related Story: One Dead In Semi Wreck On I-40 Near Weatherford

He died at the scene.

"It was pretty much unexpected," she said. "He was a good, loving father and always happy and a really intelligent man. Hard working, he was a hard worker."

Gideon's pastor, Dale Brubaker, said Gideon and his family are a good family who he's known for 10 years. 

"Gideon was a wonderful man with a big heart," Brubaker said. "He was always willing to help someone."

Now, the family needs help. 

The Kenyan community is collecting money to send Gideon's body home to Kenya for burial and to help his family stay in Oklahoma.

"I do know that she's a hard worker and she's wise and nothing that that she's given will be wasted or used wrongly," Brubaker said. 

Njuguna said Oklahoma is home now. 

"This is the only home my kids know," Njuguna said. "I know it's going to be a challenge, money-wise, being the mom and the dad, playing both roles for them."

Njuguna said she has been praying. 

"I'm just praying and trusting that I will help their dreams come true," she said. 

The family is leaving Thursday to take Gideon's body home to Kenya. 

If you would like to help the family, you can go to the GoFundMe account set up here.