It has been over a week since Rebecca Cheptegei’s untimely demise, but the pain of her death continues to give her loved ones sleepless nights. Only a month ago, the Ugandan marathon runner was chasing her dreams at the Paris Olympics. Little did anyone know that she would be brutally m*****ed by her former partner in the following days. However, the late athlete was laid to rest on Saturday, September 14 at a military funeral, where thousands flocked to bid her an emotional adieu!

The manner of Cheptegei’s death was grave, as the 33-year-old was set ablaze alive outside her house. Sadly, she sustained severe burns (80 percent) that she could not recover from. Today, there’s so much that Rebecca Cheptegei’s demise leaves behind— two school-going daughters, a heartbroken family, and a numbing impact on the community. But as she gets a final salute, all her mourning relatives attend, possibly garnering the most courage they have ever had in their lives.

The late Rebecca Cheptegei gets a respectful sendoff

9 days after her passing, the late athlete, who was a sergeant in the Ugandan Peoples’ Defence Forces was given a military funeral in the presence of her family, mourners, and multiple officials. Rebecca Cheptegei’s military funeral was conducted in the remote town of Kapkoros, Bukwo, on September 14. However, the service started at the local council office first and proceeded to the sports stadium nearby, where attendees could pay their respects.

As the service reached its final leg, in her father’s homestead, the casket bearing her body, wrapped in the national flag, was carried from the military van to the tent. As the soldiers strode ahead, one of the officials carried a framed photo of hers at the front. Visibly distraught by their loss, her family members remained seated on chairs in the tent while her daughters, dressed in white, were also seen standing at the location. Finally, the military gave Rebecca a three-volley salute, and the late athlete now rests buried. However, she certainly leaves behind a lasting legacy. And so much for the community to remember her by. Especially the young girls, for whom Cheptegei was a source of inspiration.

All that lasts are the memories of Cheptegei’s impact

Rebecca Cheptegei’s untimely and grim death has left an irreplaceable void in her family and people’s hearts. “I could not sleep imagining that someone was just burnt alive. I became so emotional when I learned that the kids were also witnessing what happened to her mum,” voiced Joan Chelimo, the Co-founder of Tirop’s Angels, an organization formed after the death of runner Agnes Tirop, per BBC.

Coming from an extremely humble background, Cheptegei never stopped dreaming big. She honed her athletic skills and represented the country at the Olympics— a mark not many can touch in their lifetime. Thus, Chelimo and possibly most who have known Rebecca remember her as someone who was an inspiration to the young girls.

Moreover, Rebecca Cheptegei’s death has not only left the community devoid of an idol but also the family of their loved one. Thus, against the background of this incident, Rachel Kamweru, a spokesperson of the Department for Gender and Affirmative Action, voiced, “We don’t want this to happen to any other woman, whether an athlete or from the village, or a young girl.” But in the meantime, the community comes together to grieve the late athlete, whose memories shall fondly live in people’s minds.