A Kentucky high school senior, Emeka “Emmanuel” Mwakadi, who was ordered to return to class after being struck in the head while attempting to break up a fight in a school bathroom, passed away later after suffering from a seizure, his family said.
The 17-year-old collapsed shortly after the incident and was rushed to the hospital. Witnesses reported that Mwakadi was struck in the head while attempting to break up the fight in a school bathroom.
Despite the severity of the blow, all students involved were sent back to class, where Mwakadi later experienced the seizure that led to his death, according to his grieving family, as reported by the New York Post.
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Irene Mwele, the mother of the deceased student, received a call from the school at 10:55 a.m. on Friday, informing her of an emergency involving her son. However, she claims she has not received any further communication from the school since then. The school district has denied that a fight occurred, despite witnesses’ accounts of the incident.
“The school is like a second family to him, so they are supposed to take responsibility when she’s not around to know,” Mwakadi’s 14-year-old sister, Ndaya, told Lex 18, referring to their mom.
“And she wants to have that communication with them, so they can tell her what happened exactly with her son.”
Upon arriving at the hospital, the mother witnessed a team of doctors working tirelessly to save her son, as recounted to the outlet. The family and friends of the teenager are deeply mourning his untimely passing. His 9-year-old brother, Fabien Iyeli, described Mwakadi as his closest confidant and reliable source of support.
“If I was having a bad mood, he would talk to me. He was like my sibling’s therapist. He would comfort me sometimes,” he told Lex 18.
“Nothing feels the same like it used to,” the teen’s best friend, Modoul Danso, said. “He played a big part in all of our lives. We just miss him. It don’t feel the same anymore.”
“He was never sick, he was an energized person,” he added. “Always had a smile on his face. Kind to everybody. Always moving around. Never had signs of any sickness or anything like that.”
Mwakadi’s family described him as a sincere individual with a compassionate nature. Mwakadi was just weeks away from graduating high school and had aspirations of furthering his education at Elizabeth Community and Technology College.
Originally from Congo, the family immigrated to the U.S. in 2016. They are currently collaborating with Peterson Law Office to investigate the incident.
“They were Congolese nationals that came over through the Catholic Health Mission Activity in 2016, and he has a younger brother and sister. He was just, well-loved, and well-respected. We haven’t heard one negative thing about this young man,” said Justin Peterson, the founding attorney of the law office.
The teen had hoped to become a police officer after graduation, Peterson said. “And we’ve uncovered through witness testimony and some other things that he had broken up other fights in the school as well. He wanted peace between people. He didn’t want conflict. And so, it is absolutely no surprise to me that that was his ultimate goal.”
A GoFundMe campaign created to assist with funeral costs for Mwakadi characterized him as a highly courteous individual with significant aspirations.
The fundraiser garnered over $10,500 in donations by Tuesday afternoon.
