Samson Cheruiyot, the father of the late marathon record-holder Kelvin Kiptum, has opened up for the first time since his son's tragic demise on Sunday night.
Speaking during an interview on Monday afternoon, Cheruiyot noted that Kiptum was his only son and his death was a blow to his family.
Cheruiyot further indicated that four days before Kiptum's death, he received a strange visit from four individuals who refused to identify themselves.
"Unidentified people came to my house and told me that they were visitors," Cheruiyot recalled stating that the four refused to disclose the motive of their visit.
"Kiptum was my only child. Now he has left me and my grandchildren. I do not know what to do. If the government can, it should help us. We are stuck now with no one who can help us."
Cheruiyot revealed that he was watching the evening news when he first received a call that a car belonging to his son had been involved in a road carnage.
Immediately, he rushed to the accident scene but by the time of his arrival, the bodies of his son, Rwandese Coach Gervais Hakizimana and a lady in their company had already been taken to the hospital.
His final conversation with Kiptum had taken place on Saturday night and involved plans to build a house.
"On Saturday night, I talked to him and he told me that he would go to Fluospar and return home. When he returned, he told me that a man (a white man) would come to build us a house. He also told me that he would run for 1 hour 58 minutes (in the upcoming race) because he felt his body was in great shape."
Cheruiyot also recalled Kiptum's firm decision to pursue marathon as a career, choosing to forego a course in Electronic Wiring at Eldoret Polytechnic.
"When he was at school studying wiring and got grade 3, I looked for a position at Eldoret Polytechnic for him to pursue Grade 2 but he refused. He told me that he felt in his heart that he needed to exercise and I agreed," he added.
Kiptum passed away after a car he was driving landed into a ditch claiming both his life and that of his coach. A lady who was in the car with them survived after sustaining serious injuries.
A police report indicated that he lost control and veered off-road entering into a ditch on his left side. He drove in the ditch for about 60 meters before hitting a big tree.
