The wife, sister, and agent of the late Ghanaian footballer, Christian Atsu, have in a heartfelt interview with UK-based The Athletic, shared their experiences coping with the loss, a year after the tragic incidents in Turkey that led to his untimely death.
Christiana Twasam, Nana Sechere, and Marie Claire-Rupio, Christian Atsu’s surviving spouse, opened up about the challenges they faced in dealing with the demise of their beloved family member.
Recalling the traumatic moments surrounding his disappearance and death, Christiana Twasam expressed her devastation upon arriving at the collapsed Renaissance Residence five-star block where Christian was trapped.
“When I got there, I was devastated because I thought no one was going to survive in that building,” says Christiana, recalling the sight.
She vividly described the anguish of waiting for rescuers, hoping to hear her brother’s name among the survivors, only to face the heartbreak of identifying bodies.
“We would call out his name,” Christiana said. “The rescuers would alert us if they sensed a life, then bring out the body, and you’d be asked to verify if it was someone you knew. It broke my heart when you saw a body bag coming — it was going to be your own relative or not. We were like a family around the fire in the evening. When someone verified their relative and broke down, it reminded you that one day you would too,” she said in reflection.
Photo credit: theathletic.com
Nana Sechere, Christian Atsu’s agent, shared a glimmer of hope during the search, recounting the discovery of a shoe that resembled Christian’s Yeezy trainers. This find provided a crucial clue, affirming that they were on the right track in their efforts to locate him.
“I spotted a shoe that looked very much like Christian’s through the legs of one of the search team. He threw it over to me and it was one of his Yeezy trainers. We found the other one from the pair soon after, and it told us we were looking in the right place.”
Despite moments of hope, the family’s quest to find Christian ended tragically when, after days of searching, they received the heartbreaking news that his lifeless body had been located.
“Two officials took us to a body bag lying on the floor,” he says. “We had seen so many, that even before they were opened (we knew they) weren’t the right shape or size for Christian. But I could tell by the shape of it that it was Christian. We saw him and we broke down.” he narrated.
It has been a year since the missing of Christian Atsu was announced following an earthquake in Turkey. The former Black Stars player was trapped under the rubble for about three days before he was found lifeless on February 8, 2023.
The family continues to grapple with the profound loss of a man known not only for his prowess on the field but also for his philanthropic endeavors.
Read the full interview on theathletic.com
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