Obanyeli Jesse Chima, a 26-year-old international student from Nigeria and a passionate Chelsea FC fan, died on September 25 after suffering a severe asthma attack on a London street on September 19. Despite friends performing CPR and paramedics working for about two hours to stabilise his heart, he was later confirmed brain-dead. His family in Nigeria is now planning to transport his body home for burial, and friends have launched a fundraiser to cover the costs.
Asthma attack during birthday meet-up
Chima, who had recently completed a master's degree in Public Health, was meeting his friend Eva and her partner on Saturday, September 19, to celebrate their birthdays together. While waiting in the lounge, he told Eva he needed to go outside for air because he was having an asthma attack. He used three inhalers he had with him, but they did not help. Eva called an ambulance, and while she was on the phone, Chima collapsed.
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."
Brain-death confirmed two days later
Two days after the attack, doctors said Chima was not improving. They performed a brain test and confirmed he was brain-dead. He was taken off life support on September 25. Eva described the shock: "It's horrible because we were just laughing, and four days later, we had to see his lifeless body."
Chima and Eva became friends after both left Nigeria to study in London. Chima had worked at Chelsea Football Club, the team he supported. Eva described him as a 'beloved and cherished friend who was the life of the party'. He was described as 'physically fit', making his sudden death all the more shocking to those who knew him.
Fundraiser to repatriate body to Nigeria
Chima leaves behind three siblings in Nigeria. His family had saved money for his graduation, but now that money will be used for burial costs. Eva and friends set up a fundraiser to help cover the arrangements and transportation to return Chima's body to Nigeria. Eva hopes to raise between £7,000 and £9,000 to cover transportation, mortuary fees, and other repatriation costs.
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 the family is in Nigeria. The family wants to see his body before they lay him to rest, so returning him to Nigeria makes more sense; he should be closer to home.
