The Day My Brother Died - 22 October 2017 — A Personal Account
There are moments that divide a life into before and after. For me, that moment came on 22 October 2017 — the day my brother died. I’ve written this as both a record and a remembrance. It’s not about the years of aftermath, the courtrooms, or the endless waiting for justice. This is about that day itself how it happened, how it felt, and how it changed everything. It started like any other Saturday… I was consumed in my final university project, my last undergraduate submission, determined to finish it before the deadline. My brother was getting ready to go out to a friend’s birthday. His best friend would be driving that night, as they always took turns when they went out. In our family, saying goodbye always mattered. After losing our Oupa when we were young, we learned never to take a single departure for granted. Even if someone was just popping out to the shop, we said goodbye properly with love. The last words we said to him were “ Goodbye .” That small moment has become one...