Cabarita teenager Samuel Macharia came to Australia from Kenya five years ago to play soccer.
What the young orphan found was a new family who loved him as well as friends, schools and a community who supported him.
He also got to live out his dream to play soccer and even trialled with local Gold Coast A League team United. But sadly his dreams of playing soccer professionally ended tragically at Bogangar last week when he was swept away during a swim at the beach last week. He was just two days short of his 17th birthday.
Here is his story and tributes from those who loved him and knew him best.
Sam’s Australian Family:
Zietlow Family: Bernie Zietlow, Sandra Zietlow, Ricky Zietlow (20), Kurt Zietlow (17), Samuel Mwangi Macharia Zietlow (17) and Ryan Zietlow (15)
Words can’t express our grief at losing our beautiful son Sam.
Sam’s infectious smile, gentle nature and massive capacity to give love were impossible to resist and captivated all who came into contact with him.
After such a tragic life in Kenya it was inspirational to watch Sam’s dedication to his studies and his love, mastery and pursuit of a professional career in football.
Sam’s family here in Australia and his uncle, aunt and cousins in Kenya would like to thank everyone involved in the search for our Sam.
This includes the Kingscliff and Tweed Heads Police, Coffs Harbour Water Police, MAC Sydney Divers, Lismore Police Rescue, Ballina Highway Patrol Trail Bikes. All the Tweed Coast Surf Life Saving Clubs. Kingscliff and Point Danger VMR, Ballina and Hastings Point Jet Boats, the local SES, and the Gold Coast and Lismore Lifesaver Helicopters.
In particular we would like to thank the Cabarita Surf Life Saving Club who went above and beyond what is expected of a small community surf club and Inspector Gary Cowen of Tweed Heads Police, who co-ordinated the search, gave comfort and became a friend in the process.
As you know we both work at Council and we appreciate the support we have received from our workmates and especially Sam’s good friends Mike Rayner and John Bruggy.
We would also like to recognise Sam’s teachers and schoolmates from Lindisfarne Anglican College and his team mates from Murwillumbah Football Club, who had such a big impact on his life.
Last of all we would like to thank our family, friends and all in the community who supported us and continue to support us through this difficult time.
We ask that our family privacy be respected as we grieve for our son and brother. Details regarding the arrangements for Sam’s service will be made available through Council once they are finalised.
A small boy from Kenya, Samuel Mwangi Macharia Zietlow came into our lives and touched the hearts of everyone he met forever.
We love you Sammy.
Thank you.
The Tweed Shire Council:
Management, staff and Councillors of Tweed Shire Council express great sadness on the passing of Samuel Mwangi Macharia.
The tragic death of Sam, 16, who drowned at Cabarita Beach, has affected the organisation and deeply saddened staff.
“On behalf of Council and my Councillor colleagues I extend my deepest condolences to Sam’s family here in Tweed and in Kenya. We share the grief of the organisation on the loss of Sam and trust his legacy will continue,” said Mayor of Tweed, Councillor Barry Longland.
Sam was sponsored by Council under the umbrella of the Tweed Kenya Mentoring Program. For five years he has been the living face of the program thanks to his school, soccer and wider community involvement. The community and organisation embraced Sam as one of our own.
Two weeks ago he completed Year 10 work experience with Council’s Revenue Unit, leaving an indelible mark on them as he had done with so many others in our community.
General Manager Mike Rayner said Sam’s life story is one of hope, inspiration and courage with his personality touching many people.
Council staff are deeply saddened by this tragic ending to what was otherwise a life full of promise and opportunity for Sam.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with Sam’s Kenyan family and his local family and our fellow Council colleagues the Zietlows,” Mr Rayner said.
“Whilst we recognise the legacy Sam leaves behind in Tweed, we must also remember that he was a leader and role model to young people in his community in Kenya and they too will be mourning his loss.”
“We wish Bernie, Sandra, the three boys and their extended family strength and courage during this sad and emotional time. The Zietlow’s commitment to Sam over the last five years has delivered him a happy home here in the Tweed and we express our deepest sympathies to them on the loss of their family member.”
Sam’s story
Sam was born on December 6, 1994, in Kibera, Nairobi, Kenya. He was orphaned at the age of three years and went to live with a friend of his mother’s until she died when he was five years old. His father was never involved in his life. From the age of five to seven years, he lived with his grandmother who suffered from alcoholism.
This situation forced him to spend the days collecting firewood and selling it to small hotels to make money to feed and clothe himself. His nights were spent sleeping out in the streets, wherever he could find shelter or warmth. When Sam was seven years old, he was offered food and shelter by a cook from one of the small hotels in return for helping with the cooking, cleaning and collecting of wood. Sam lived with this old woman until he was nine years old and his Aunt Cheryl, Uncle Phillip and their two sons took Sam to live with them in Riruta Satellite in Dagoretti.
Kibera and Dagoretti are large slums with a population nearing one million. His situation here was far from ideal. He stayed with his uncle and aunty in a house consisting of two small rooms made of scavenged tin, plywood and cardboard with no electricity or water. The house shared a small yard including toilet and washroom with a drinking establishment.
The local alcohol/drug dealer lived on the other side of their house. Sam’s first job of a morning was to clean the vomit and excrement from the toilet and washroom.
Despite the poverty experienced by the family, they managed to feed and clothe Sam and send him to Ngong Forest Primary School, however, it was not uncommon for the family to go days without food and unfortunately, they could not afford to pay tuition for Sam to attend school so his only interaction with the teacher was to write lessons on the blackboard and hope he understood what was written down. This together with the tragic early years experienced by Sam explains why an obviously very intelligent boy was illiterate when he arrived in Australia in May 2006.
Sam has played football all his life and like most boys in the slums this was in the street in bare feet with a ball made from scavenged plastic bags and twine. Sam played with several teams in the ghetto especially Dagoretti Youth Club, and entered the Greater Nairobi River Youth Soccer Tournament which was held in December 2005. 400 youth from 24 clubs participated in the tournament using soccer shirts, shoes and socks provided by soccer clubs from the Tweed Shire.
As a result of Sam’s participation, he came into contact with the Tweed Kenya Mentoring Program and his life was changed. Due to his talented football abilities, his volunteer work with the program and his pleasant and engaging personality Sam was selected from the tournament to come to Australia on a three month cultural exchange visit under the auspices of the Tweed Kenya Mentoring Program.
Sam arrived in Australia in May 2006 and stayed with Bernie and Sandra Zietlow and their three sons Ricky, Kurt and Ryan at Clothiers Creek where he attended Mt St Patrick Primary School and played soccer for Murwillumbah. His initial stay was extended to six months, the full extent of his visa, as a result of the bond that was forming with his new family. He returned to Kenya in December 2006 with a promise that everything would be done to bring him back to Australia.
A new five year student visa was obtained and Sam returned to Australia in October 2007 to be reunited with his new family and attend school at Lindisfarne Anglican School and once again play football for Murwillumbah. Sam settled back into school well and was extremely focussed on his studies as well as football and other sports. His football skills increased substantially to the point where he was possibly looking at professional selection.
His English language skills improved substantially during his time in Australia and he made many friends through his school and sporting pursuits. Sam developed a strong familial bond with his sponsored family, the Zietlows and to him Bernie, Sandra and the three boys were his family and they felt the same way.
