Why REMEMBER Foundation Exists

People often ask me what inspired me to create the REMEMBER Foundation and A Community Remembers Gala. The answer begins with loss, but it ultimately leads to hope.

In 2009, I experienced one of the greatest heartbreaks of my life when my father passed away at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. After his body was returned to Kenya, I was unable to travel home for his funeral because of circumstances beyond my control. As the firstborn son, not being there to honor my father according to our family's traditions left me with a deep sense of grief that I carried for many years. What should have been a time of gathering with loved ones and saying goodbye became a painful reminder that life does not always unfold the way we hope.

Not long afterward, I entered one of the most challenging seasons of my life. Family relationships became strained, and I found myself living at Union Gospel Mission in Saint Paul for four months. During that time, I experienced loneliness, uncertainty, and disappointment, but I also encountered extraordinary kindness. The compassion of strangers reminded me that even in our darkest moments, hope can still find us through the people who choose to care.

Over time, my family began to heal. My mother and I found our way back to one another through grace, forgiveness, and honest conversations. One of the greatest gifts of my life came years later when she asked me to be the photographer for her wedding after she remarried in her sixties. Capturing one of the happiest days of her life became a beautiful reminder that broken relationships can be restored and that healing is always possible.

As the years passed, I continued to experience the pain of losing people I loved. I mourned my father and many other dear friends, relatives, and members of our community. More than half of those losses were the result of suicide, while others came through illness and tragic accidents. Every loss reminded me that grief is something nearly every family experiences, yet so many people carry it in silence.

Those experiences changed the way I saw the world. They taught me that every life has value, every story deserves to be remembered, and every family deserves compassion long after the funeral has ended.

Throughout my journey, I discovered meaningful ways to serve others. As a caregiver, I had the privilege of walking alongside individuals and families during some of life's most vulnerable moments. Photography also became a passion, allowing me to preserve memories, celebrate milestones, and tell stories that might otherwise be forgotten. Years after leaving school, I returned to college because I believed it is never too late to pursue a dream. Each chapter of my life strengthened my belief that our greatest hardships can become the foundation for our greatest purpose.

Perhaps the greatest blessing in my life has been becoming a father. Raising my son has given me a deeper appreciation for the sacrifices my own father made and has inspired me to leave behind a legacy built on compassion, service, and remembrance.

Out of all these experiences came a vision.

I imagined a community where no family would have to grieve alone. A place where memories could continue to be shared, lives could be celebrated with dignity, and future generations could learn the stories of those who came before them. I wanted to create something that reminded people that love does not end when life does.

That vision became A Community Remembers Gala — an annual gathering dedicated to honoring the lives of those we have lost and celebrating the legacies they leave behind. It also became the REMEMBER Foundation, an organization committed to supporting families, encouraging remembrance, strengthening communities, and ensuring that every life continues to make an impact long after death.

Today, our mission is only beginning. We are building partnerships, growing a community of volunteers, supporting families, and creating meaningful opportunities for people to gather, remember, heal, and celebrate together. Every conversation, every volunteer, every donor, and every family who joins us helps move this vision forward.

I believe remembrance is one of the greatest gifts we can give. When we share stories, preserve memories, and honor those who came before us, we strengthen our communities and remind one another that love never disappears — it lives on in the lives we continue to touch.

This is more than my story.
It is the beginning of a movement built on compassion, remembrance, and hope.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story. I invite you to join us as we honor every life, celebrate every legacy, and ensure that no family has to walk through grief alone.