Thuso Mbedu

Thuso Mbedu Instagram – Mpho made it so easy to love him.

Having heard of Mpho’s passing something in me short circuited. What are the words that one is supposed string together? Even now I’m seeing the posts and the changed profile pics but my brain is refusing to accept why it’s happening. When I force myself to connect the dots it feels like my heart slows down and I have to remind myself to breathe. I want to find the right words but my mind has blanked. We all know how hard he worked. We all know how he determined he was in bettering himself as a person and in his craft. We all know that was always one of the best dressed in the room. We all know that he stayed showing up for his loved ones. We all know of his big heart that was overflowing with love. I can hear the sound of his laughter. I can see the frown lines as he zoned in, concentrating. I can see the cheeky grin. I can hear his voice when he said “Thuwowo”. But I don’t know how to take all of that and make it make sense because there’s so much more to it and there is no way to put any of it into words.

I like to believe that he knew that I loved him because he was one of the (few) people I had the courage to tell. He made it safe to do so- I know that many will attest to this.
To his family, friends and colleagues: May God hold you tight and bring healing to your bleeding hearts. This is a big wound that will take forever to sew itself back together. Handle with care.

Mphowowo… then. Now. Forever. You’ll always be my person. Thank you for doing life with us, my friend.
🌻🤍

(The picture in the first frame is one we’d randomly send to each other citing that it’s our favorite of all time) | Posted on 06/May/2024 20:18:52

Thuso Mbedu Instagram – Lunga and I were always going to meet. It was purposed that we crash into each other eventually, it seems. 

Hear me out:

I lived in Ulundi from ages 4-11. I went to a school called Mbhasobheni (before going to Melmoth). Lunga moved to Ulundi at around age 7 and went to Mbhasobheni-  we JUST missed each other. 

Age 11 I moved to PMB. I have no clue when Lunga moved to PMB but when we eventually met, we lived on the same street. When we met we were high schoolers playing wingmen for friends who were hot for each other 🤣

2010 we parted ways. I moved to JHB. 
We led such different lives, our story should’ve ended there.

Lunga made his way to JHB.
In talking later, we realized that Lunga lived in a building that I went to every Sunday because my church was located on the bottom floor. What a time that was 🙃

2014. He came to say hi only to find us struggling, trying to get my bedridden grandmother to the car so we could rush her to the hospital. He’s the only one of my friends who saw how bad it got with her before she passed on. 

What I remember fondly from those years are the long walks we’d take or us chilling in his mom’s car: just talking and dreaming. He was one of the first few to believe that I could do it. I don’t know why. He just did.

Then I left for the U.S. Should’ve been the end of our story. But it wasn’t. 

2020 I get a WhatsApp with a simple “I’m giving this WhatsApp thing a try. Keep in touch. Lunga T”. So random. So cool. So “neither here nor there”. So LUNGA.

There he was, finding me again. 

November 2023 our family suffered a tragedy. Lunga drove the long distance to make sure that I was ok. We didn’t get to spend a lot of time that day but we agreed that we would make up for it. We thought we had time. 

If l’d known that that would be the last time l’d get to touch him physically, I would’ve held on a little longer. I would’ve poked at his face and told him that I loved him

I can’t believe that this is where our story ends. 

I am blessed to have known him, honored to have called him “friend” and privileged to have loved him. What a gift it was to have been found by him over and over again.

Mad love forever, Lunga. See you later🤍
Thuso Mbedu

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