Family Appeals for Help to Repatriate Thomas Odera's Body from the US

The family of Thomas Odera, popularly known as Tom, is appealing for financial support to repatriate his body from the United States following his death in Tacoma, Washington, on 1 June.

Odera, who had been living in Tacoma, is survived by relatives and friends in both Kenya and the United States. His family plans to bury him in Ajingo village in Bondo Constituency, Siaya County, but says the cost of returning his body home is beyond their means.

According to the family, about $20,000 is needed to cover repatriation expenses, funeral arrangements and burial costs. They have launched a fundraising campaign and are appealing to friends, well-wishers and members of the Kenyan diaspora to help raise the required amount.

Family members say preparations for the burial are underway and that they intend to honour Tom in accordance with family traditions. However, the process has been complicated by the significant costs associated with transporting a body from abroad.

In Tacoma, relatives, friends and supporters have been meeting daily to offer condolences and coordinate fundraising efforts. The gatherings have also provided an opportunity for mourners to remember Tom and support one another during the bereavement period.

For many Kenyan families, returning the deceased to their ancestral home for burial remains an important cultural practice, but the costs involved often require support from relatives, friends and the wider community.