Student turns grief after loss of family into motivation to succeed

AUniversity of Fort Harestudent who lost his mother and three siblings in a house fire has graduated with 23 distinctions after vowing at their funeral that he would complete his studies in honour of his late family. Simanye Tonono was among more than 3,600 graduates capped during the university’s week-long graduation ceremonies, which began on Tuesday. Tonono, whose story previously drew widespread attention after the 2023 tragedy in Ntabozuko, said graduating with a bachelor’s degree was the fulfilment of a promise he had made after losing his immediate family in the blaze.

His mother, two sisters and brother died in the fire. “Losing my family was the most painful experience of my life,” Tonono said. “At first, life felt empty and overwhelming, but over time I learnt to carry that loss with resilience.

“Outside of school, I had to rebuild my sense of belonging and identity. “I used my studies as a way to honour my family’s memory, turning grief into motivation to succeed.” The university played a significant role in my healing journey, and the counselling services gave me a safe space to process my grief Tonono credited family, friends and the university for helping him continue with his studies despite the trauma. “The university played a significant role in my healing journey, and the counselling services gave me a safe space to process my grief.