Rebecca Cheptegei met a tragic demise following a heated conflict with her former boyfriend. Statements explaining what happened have been shared online.
Olympic runner Rebecca Cheptegei, 33, tragically passed away after she was admitted to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County. The Ugandan marathon runner’s admittance followed a vicious attack by her former boyfriend.
Dr. Owen Menach — the acting CEO of MTRH and Director of Clinical Services and Surgery — confirmed that Cheptegei died at 5 a.m. in the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU) from what he dubbed full organ failure.
STATEMENT ON THE PASSING ON OF UGANDAN ATHLETE REBECCA CHEPTEGEI pic.twitter.com/Y38SCHnnsN
— KIPCHUMBA MURKOMEN, E.G.H (@kipmurkomen) September 5, 2024
He also emphasized how saddened he and other medical professionals are by the tragic news, adding, “[We] were doing our best to save her life.”
Cheptegei’s family member, Dr. Tony Sabila, confirmed the date of her passing as this morning, September 5, while speaking to Nation Sport.
Ugandan athlete Rebecca Cheptegei, who was allegedly doused with petrol and set on fire by her boyfriend, succumbs to her injuries at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret where she was admitted.#KBCniYetu ^RO pic.twitter.com/WEg7TQgV7D
— KBC Channel1 News (@KBCChannel1) September 5, 2024
“It is true that we lost our sister this morning although the doctors tried to save her life and I was there personally,” divulged Dr. Sabila.
Cheptegei had been in the ICU as a result of suffering severe burns from open flames that overtook her whole body. Nation Sport revealed that her burns covered 80% of her body.
Due to the extent of the burns, Cheptegei was fully sedated and intubated. She was also on full life support for blood, fluids, and medication, and had to use a ventilator for breathing.
Before she lost her life, the Kenyan government announced their plan to transport Cheptegei to Nairobi, via an airlift, for specialized treatment. They announced this on September 4.
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