Bridegroom dies while waiting to tie the knot
What you need to know:
A proposed wedding in Arusha District turned into grief and sorrow following the sudden collapse and death of the husband-to-be, Mr Heaven Makupa, inside the church as he awaited arrival of his bride-to-be.
Arusha. Family members, friends and well-wishers at a wedding that was to take place in church on Saturday, December 29, 2018, were gripped with shock after the bridegroom, Mr Heaven Makupa (47) suddenly fell sick and collapsed inside the church as he was waiting to tie the holy matrimonial knot.
Mr Makupa was just as soon pronounced ‘dead-on-arrival’ (DoA) at the Saint Elizabeth Hospital where he had been rushed to as an emergency case.
The wedding ceremony was supposed to take place at the ‘Church of the Prophet of the Glory Master in Olmatejoo, in the Sakina Ward of Arusha Region. This was to be followed by celebrations and wassailing at Sariko Olasiti Garden. Bu, all that never happened, with the event turning sour.
The incident occurred at around 5pm when the bridegroom was waiting for the arrival in church of his chosen bride, Ms Jane Kimaro, when he suddenly fell down, unconscious.
Following the incident, he was taken to Saint Elizabeth Hospital where he was pronounced ‘DoA!’
His body is being preserved at the Mount Meru Regional Hospital mortuary awaiting funeral arrangements.
The morgue attendant, Mr Fransis Costa, confirmed that the deceased’s body is being preserved at the hospital.
One of the invited guests to the wedding, Ms Juliana Mosha, said Mr Makupa had no previous signs of any illness.
“This has come as a shock to all of us. But we need to leave everything to God who is the ultimate Decision Maker,” she said, noting that guests had to depart the reception place after the sad news was broken to them.
Meanwhile, relatives of the bride-to-have-been said Ms Kimaro was severely shocked by what happened, and that she was advised to take a good rest.
For his part, the deceased’s brother, Mr Richard Makupa, said relatives of the deceased had started burial arrangements.
“We expect to come up with a decision on burial issues, including place and date of the service for our departed loved one,” a clearly sad Richard said.
