Businessman Kennedy Rapudo has opened up about his childhood and the challenges he faced growing up without his father in the picture.
Kennedy Rapudo spoke on the Lessons @30 podcast with Dr. Ofweneke. He said that his parents separated when he was just 6 years old, and this affected him deeply.
His parents lived separate lives and Rapudo was raised by his grandmother in Migori County.
The father of three did not see much of his father, and this created a lot of emotional pain.
“I grew up with my grandmother. My parents were divorced, and each lived their own life,” Rapudo said.
“I didn’t have a father around, and that really hurt me.”
Did Kennedy Rapudo Feel Left Out?
As a young boy, Rapudo often felt left out when he saw his friends with their fathers.
“It was tough. I would see my friends with their dads, and it made me feel lonely,” he explained.
“Not having my father around really affected me.”
When Rapudo was in grade 6-7, he beggd his mother to help him find his father.
She traveled to Mombasa to search for him, but she did not find him.
“That’s when I accepted that he wasn’t coming back into my life,” he said.
Rapudo finally met his father during high school, but it only made things worse.
“I felt betrayed,” he admits.
“He had been alive all those years, and he never made an effort to reach out. Meeting him did not change anything.”
Why Rapudo Did not Attend his Father’s Burial
When Rapudo’s father passed away, he didn’t attend the funeral because he was still in school.
“I didn’t even know he had passed until later. I did not go to the funeral,” he said.
“I did visit his grave eventually, but by then, it was too late to fix things.”
Despite the pain he felt, Rapudo, who once offered his wife Amber Ray money to leave club appearances, learned some valuable lessons from his relationship with his father.
“Not having a father around taught me a lot. Now, I make sure I’m there for my own kids,” he said.
By Vivian K.