Obanyeli Jesse Chima was preparing to celebrate his birthday with his friends when he suffered a severe asthma attack
Obanyeli Jesse Chima
Obanyeli Jesse Chima was set to celebrate his birthday with friends when an asthma attack led him to collapse outside on the street (Image: Handout)
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A 'passionate' Chelsea FC fan who was preparing to celebrate his birthday suddenly died after suffering an asthma attack while his friends helplessly watched on. Obanyeli Jesse Chima, 26 and an international student from Nigeria, had recently finished his studies and was set to celebrate his birthday with his friends.
On Saturday, September 19, Chima was meeting up with his friend Eva and her partner to celebrate their birthdays together. As he was waiting in the lounge, Chima told his friend he needed to go outside for some air because he was having an asthma attack.
He started experiencing breathing difficulties and used three inhalers that he had with him, but they did not help. His friend called an ambulance, yet while his friend was on the phone with the operator, he collapsed.
A 'passionate' Chelsea fan, Chima leaves behind three siblings in Nigeria
A 'passionate' Chelsea fan, Chima leaves behind three siblings in Nigeria (Image: Handout)
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Eva told MyLondon: "Our friend started CPR after being guided by the ambulance operators. Multiple ambulances came, and they spent around two hours working on him to stabilise his heart. They finally got him to the hospital and told us he's on life support. They said he might only have memory loss, but he will be fine.
"Two days later, they said he's not getting better. There was no improvement. They eventually did a brain test on him and confirmed that he was brain-dead. On September 25, we lost him. It's horrible because we were just laughing, and four days later, we had to see his lifeless body.
"The weekend he suffered was the only weekend we all had free - all our birthdays are in September. He, my partner, and I all have our birthdays one day after another. That weekend was our chance to hang out, but instead we ended up at the hospital."
Chima had only recently completed his master's degree in Public Health and was awaiting graduation. "His family had saved money for his graduation, and now that money needs to be used to bury their child. It's horrible", Eva continued.
Chima and Eva became friends because they had both left Nigeria to study in London. Chima had worked at Chelsea Football Club, the team he supported, and Eva described him as a 'beloved and cherished friend who was the life of the party'.
Chima stood next to a swimming pool in a white outfit
Chima was described as 'physically fit' so his sudden death shocked everybody (Image: Handout)
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He leaves behind three siblings, and his family in Nigeria is now preparing plans to transport his body back to Nigeria.
To try to help the family in their time of mourning, Eva and her friends have set up a fundraiser. The fundraiser will help to cover the arrangements and transportation to return Chima's body to Nigeria for burial
Eva said: "We're trying our best to see what we can raise. His family were planning for graduation. As international students, it's tough already. We want to help take the burden off his family. Nobody has money saved up to bury a child.
"His dad made enquiries about burying him in the UK but most of his family is in Nigeria. The family want to see his body before they lay him to rest, so returning him to Nigeria makes more sense; he should be closer to home."
Eva hopes to raise between £7,000 and £9,000 to help cover transportation, mortuary fees, and other costs associated with repatriating a person's body to their home country.
If you'd like to donate to the fundraiser, you can do so here.
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