What would have torn us apart,  made us stronger

The memories of the December 13, 2014 will forever be etched in the memories of Kenyan Seattle-based gospel artist and soxophonist Gerriey Wainaina Ng’ang’a and his wife Viorica Aurora Wainaina. This is the day the couple tied the knot and vowed to love and cherish one another in sickness and in health, for richer for poor, until death did them part.

True to their words, the couple has been through thick and thin ever since Gerriey developed stage five renal inflammation (interstitial nephritis) that left his kidney function at only nine per cent in 2017. He, however had a kidney transplant four years later, in August 2021. Aurora on the other hand has been ailing from Type 1 Diabetes. 

However, that has not stopped them from living a happy life as an enthusiastic young couple. “Health issues have definitely been the biggest hurdle in our marriage. Despite Gerriey and I each facing our own battles with more trials and tribulations than we can count, we are truly blessed to have one another as we understand the hardships and the journey we have endured. In the end, what should have torn us apart, has actually made us stronger,” she says.

Deeper appreciation of life

Through this experience,  they have developed a deeper appreciation for life and all that it has to offer. Despite the hardships these conditions have caused, (be it physical or financial constraints) Aurora says that they have become a beacon of hope within the community as she prays for her husband to get the chance to live out his wildest dreams, explore new sites and places in this great world and for him to live long enough to walk their six-year-old daughter down the aisle on her wedding day.

As Aurora discloses, she met the love of her life in 2009 while on a mission trip during summer. “I had travelled to Kenya with a group of other students from Biola University of Carlifonia, US where I was also a student. I had been in the country for a month when I met Gerriey for the first time at a team dinner banquet. He showed up about two hours late, and I remember all the children and staff shouting his name excited to see him. At that point, I was curious to know who he was. I made an effort at the end of the event to introduce myself. That same night, he travelled back to the children’s home where I was staying. We stayed up the entire night talking and getting to know one another,” she recalls.

Music journey

After that engagement she knew she was the missing rib, which has found its owner. After her stay in Kenya came to an end, the duo agreed to continue their relationship. Its now 13 years since the two met and eight years since they walked down the aisle.  

Aurora is passionate about health and wellness and aspires to see healthcare transformed at a global level. But most importantly, she reveals she strives to live a life aligned with God’s teachings so that she may become the best version of herself.

She shares how Gerriey started his official career in music in 2004 after he moved to Nairobi from Kamukunji, Eldoret, where he was born and raised. This is also a place where his music passion was birthed. He started as a performing artist at Kenya National Theatre (KNT). In 2005, he started playing in church bands and corporate events, which fueled his passion for performing on stage. It did not come easy as he tried out for many auditions such, as Tusker Project Fame and Idols but through persistence, new opportunities opened up.  

Gerriey is also famous for his Mkenya Marekani, a platform aimed at educating and informing immigrants about the realities of daily life outside of Africa. “The goal of Mkenya Marekani is to inspire viewers to dream big and discover potential opportunities they never knew they could have. In the end, we hope the platform can be used to unite and create a global village,” she says. 

“I do my best to encourage him in pursuing his dreams and to assure him when uncertainties arise. I am always there to cheer him on,” she adds

Award winning

Gerriey has garnered quite a number of awards and recognitions in his career since 2008.  “He won the TalantMania Artiste of the Year in 2008, Groove Awards Band of the Year 2009, Talanta Awards in the US. Artiste of the Year 2009, African Council of Churches Peace Song of the Year 2010,  Extreme Awards Afrofusion Song of the Year 2013, Sauti Awards U.S.A Artiste of the Year 2015 and finally the latest awards was the African Achievement Awards 2022,” says Aurora.

Gerriey moved to the US in 2017. Aurora shares that the reason Gerriey wanted a move to the US was to expand his music career and explore new opportunities for their family.

“What I love most about Gerriey is his passion. He has a way with his craft that makes it impossible to not be his biggest fan. When he sets his sight on something, he is fully committed to seeing it through. He is driven and this motivation is what has allowed him to achieve such great success. I love his dedication to living out his dreams,” says Aurora.

Aurora advises young people to always find a partner who will be their greatest confidant, cheerleader and coach. “Find someone you can rely on and who will always support you in all your efforts. Someone who believes in you more than you believe in yourself. Most importantly, find it in yourself to always love abundantly, give selflessly and commit wholeheartedly,” she says.