Louis Otieno’s hearing is gone and he can no longer hear the powerful interviews he once gave.
“I cannot even hear my own voice,” he says, choking back tears. “I cannot hear my daughter when she comes home from school.” His Standard Five daughter stands shyly behind the couch and watches as her father breaks down while he explains how much his life has changed.
Otieno suffered an acute pancreatic infection that crashed his hearing system. With the disease taking over his life and his fame dimming, friends fled. His phones, he says, rang incessantly when he was a popular TV anchor. They went mute as soon as he was fired.
The family has taken loans to pay for his medical bills, but the burden has become too heavy. Otieno is seeking help. He says he is telling his story to reach out to anyone who saw his passion and dedication during his days as a TV anchor.
It will cost Sh4 million to fully restore his hearing and balance. The family says they have run out of money to pay his medical bills and thus opened a pay bill number for well-wishers to assist.