Muchaneta Chimuka
THE purple dress, which cancer-stricken schoolgirl, Shalom Onoja (14), wanted to dress her body, when she died, arrived in the country – just a day after he death.
Shalom had indicated her wish for her body to be dressed in a purple or white dress in one of the three letters she wrote before her death on Wednesday.
H-Metro, which has been leading the coverage of this extraordinary story, published a purple Cover Page yesterday in honour of Shalom. We also published all her three letters.
The letters also provided a whole sketch plan on how she wants her funeral to be conducted. She died at the Paediatric Cancer Ward Unit at Parirenyatwa Hospital.
Her stepfather, Joe Phiri, confirmed that Shalom’s purple dress arrived yesterday from a well-wisher in the UK, whom she had been talking to.
“Her purple dress has arrived this morning from the United Kingdom.
“We were planning to buy one locally to fulfil her wishes.
“Little did we know that she had been talking to some women in the UK and, upon hearing about her death, they instantly sent her dress.
“She will be laid to rest at Zororo Memorial Park clad in her favourite dress and we will surround her resting home with her portraits.
“We will forever cherish the moments we had with her,” he said.
Nyaradzo Funeral Services will take care of all the burial expenses.
“We thank Nyaradzo Group for this generosity. We were (crippled) by hospital bills and we had no money to buy the grave at Zororo Memorial Park and other funeral expenses.
“We also thank H-Metro for their beautiful reporting about our daughter since last year.
“It really shows that the media is not an enemy as others perceive,” he said.
Meanwhile, a mini programme for Saturday Service has been set where Shalom’s letters will be read.
Her doctors will also share their tributes.
Her burial date is yet to be confirmed.
Mourners are gathered at House Number 36, Jerenyenje Road, Zengeza 2, in Chitungwiza.
Phiri has also been receiving praise for the way he stood by his wife during Shalom’s battle to try and beat the cancer.
“We thank Mr Phiri for standing by his wife, Ndakadaishe Nyaradzo Shumba, he ran around looking for medical assistance for Shalom.
“Mr Phiri is a real father figure who should be honoured,” said Cephas Munatsi, who is based in South Africa
