Mourners gathered June 16 to bid farewell to Fortune Amaya Losike, a 15-year-old Catholic schoolgirl who died while reportedly rescuing fellow students from a dormitory fire that claimed the lives of 15 other girls in Gilgil within Kenya's Catholic Diocese of Nakuru.
Witness accounts indicated that Fortune had enough time to escape the May 28 inferno at Utumishi Girls Academy Senior School yet she chose to save the lives of other girls that night before the ceiling of the dormitory caved in on her.
The grade 10 student, said to be the only child of her mother, was laid to rest in Turkana West, which is served by Kenya's Catholic Diocese of Lodwar.
In his homily at the burial, Father John Nzau said that Fortune, whose body could only be identified by her red-and-white rosary that appeared "almost brand-new" as if untouched by the fire, died "ready."
"Christ should find us ready. He found our sister [Fortune] ready," Nzau said, and added: "I was happy to learn that she was found with her weapon, a rosary. She died wearing the rosary. This means that she was united with Christ in her death and she will rise with Christ."
The Kenyan member of the Salesians of Don Bosco described the young Catholic convert as "a heroine who lived well with others," adding: "Our sister wanted to help others to safety, but the tragedy ended up befalling her. May she rest in peace."
Speaking to local media, Fortune's mother, Pauline Losike, described the aftermath, saying that she was able to identify her daughter by the rosary that hung on her neck. Her daughter also wore the rosary bracelet and wristwatch she had bought her.
"Fortune's head and neck were burnt beyond recognition. But the rest of the body was OK. I was able to identify her by the rosary she was wearing on her neck, her bracelet, and her watch," Losike said.
She recounted the testimony of her daughter's friend who said that Fortune was unable to save her life after helping others to safety.
"She struggled to come out of the building, but something seemed to hold her leg. That's when a ceiling fell on her. She started screaming for help, but the other girls were helpless," Losike said.
Father Casmir Odundo, a Kenyan priest of the Nakuru Diocese studying in Rome, recounted the difficult ordeal Fortune's mother went through, searching for her child at the school and in hospitals near the school after news of the fire broke.
At one of the hospitals, Losike is said to have met a Muslim friend of Fortune who had witnessed her final moments.
The Muslim girl explained that when the fire started, Fortune had an opportunity to escape with her, but she chose to remain behind with a few other girls to help others get out safely.
The fire is said to have continued spreading, trapping Fortune and some other girls inside. The only possible escape route was through the windows. Even then, she allowed other girls to go first.
Her Muslim friend, who had already reached safety, kept urging Fortune to jump. "When Fortune finally attempted to do so, something caught one of her legs and prevented her escape. At that moment, part of the roof collapsed and struck her. Her friend could only watch helplessly and later heard Fortune and others crying out for help — an experience that has left the young girl deeply traumatized," Losike's friend told Odundo.
Speaking about the red-and-white rosary and other items by which Losike identified her daughter, the friend told Odundo: "What surprised her [Losike] was that these items appeared untouched by the fire. Although Fortune's head and neck had been severely burned, the rosary remained intact, looking almost brand-new. This has left Pauline with many questions and reflections."
The friend said that Fortune's spiritual journey was unique.
While attending St. Peter's Girls Boarding Primary School in the Nakuru Diocese, the young girl is said to have been baptized in the Catholic Church.
At home, however, she worshipped with her family at Miracle Church, a Protestant congregation attended by most of her relatives.
Moved by the events surrounding Fortune's death, her family contacted the priest who baptized her, Father Vincent Marube. The priest is said to have confirmed her baptism.
Meanwhile, Odundo described Fortune's witness as moving and explained, in a note he sent to ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, on June 17: "At an age when many would naturally think first of their own safety, Fortune chose to remain behind so that others might live."
He added: "In a world often marked by self-interest, the story of this young girl reminds us that holiness is not measured by age but by love. Whether in a classroom, a family home, or a moment of crisis, the call of the Gospel remains the same: to love God and to love our neighbor, even at great personal cost."
"May the memory of Fortune Amaya inspire young people to live lives of faith, courage, and service," the Rome-based priest said.
This story was first published by ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, and has been adapted by EWTN News.
