Online Reporter
Rutendo Mapfumo
HUNDREDS of mourners from the Hwange last weekend gathered at the Number 1 Old Stadium to pay their respects to Charles Nyoni, affectionately known as Big Charlie, who passed away on Tuesday last week.
Community members turned out in their numbers to honour the local icon, demonstrating the profound impact he had on their lives. His body was transported by a Nyaradzo hearse from Number 1 to the Old Stadium, before being taken to his final resting place at Number 1 Cemetery.
Because of his huge body, Big Charlie needed a specialised coffin and a bigger storage facility in the mortuary, something the family could not afford.
Ms Florence Sibanda, his niece, highlighted the family’s pressing need for help soon after his death, appealing for help.
The family’s challenges included the inability to fit Big Charlie’s body into standard mortuary drawers, necessitating specialised preservation measures.
“We needed financial support to purchase the necessary injections to preserve his body as we prepared for the burial,” said Ms Sibanda.
The people did not disappoint them as they helped raise what was needed for their beloved gentle giant who had brought the mining town to the attention of the world.
Big Charlie was the son of the late Robinson Nyoni and Esther Ndlovu. Although he never married, he lived with his nieces, who cared for him daily.
“I truly appreciate the love shown by the Hwange community. We are united in our grief, and people came together to support one another,” said a resident of Hwange during the burial of Big Charlie.
Big Charlie’s funeral was truly unique, featuring a specially designed extra-large coffin to accommodate his larger-than-life presence. A backhoe was used to delicately lift the enormous coffin into the grave, reflecting the respect and admiration the community held for him. The grave itself was also excavated by a backhoe.
He was a giant of a man, standing at 2,10 metres tall and weighing 288kg earning him the title of Hwange’s own Goliath and possibly the biggest man in Africa.
Big Charlie’s health issues were well-documented, as he suffered from gigantism acromegaly, a condition caused by excessive growth due to hormonal imbalance.
In recent years, he had been battling high blood pressure and diabetes. Big Charlie was admitted to St Patrick’s Hospital a week ago.–New Ziana
