A tribute to Chris Mandy, a popular local resident was a barman at The Nest Hotel at the time of the tragic car accident in September 2024 which took his life.
There was such an outpouring of grief by locals and guests alike that we would like to pay tribute to Chris
Eulogy for Chris Mandy by his sister, Heather.
It is with a heavy heart that we can now confirm that the passenger that was in the car that had the accident on the 8th of September 2024 was indeed our brother Christopher Tafadzwa Mandivavarira known to most of you as Chris Mandy. This has been a very difficult and painful couple of months for us all as we knew and loved Chris in our own way. May God guide us all in this difficult time, as we mourn a beautiful soul whose life was cut too short For every one of us who knew Chris, we all knew he was not the one to feel sad, He was always happy and he always made everyone around him feel wanted and feel loved, He really had a heart of gold. May we remember the love he always shared and may our memories of him be those of the happy moments we had with him and may he live forever in our heart.
Born in Harare on the 29th of December 1985, Christopher was orphaned when very young and grew up at Emerald hill Children’s Home, in Harare with his twin brother Calvin and sister Heather. Here they met and became family with other children, under the care and guidance of Sister Gabriel Flender, a Dominican Nun who was more of a mother and who played a very significant role in shaping Chris into becoming the man he became. A man who always put family and others first before himself.
Chris was always a bubbly child from birth, all the way into adulthood. Where ever he was or wherever he went, he always made sure to make people laugh. He really enjoyed just being happy and pranking people so that he could put a smile on their face.
Chris and his twin Calvin were moved to St Joseph house for boys for their tertiary education, where they met other boys who became Brothers and later, family for life to them. In all the time, moving from Emerald hill to St Joseph, Christopher never forgot who he was or where he came from and would always visit his childhood home.
Growing up in different places for some people can affect their adulthood in a negative way, but Chris made the best of every situation and lived each day as it came, thus accepting everyone for who they where no matter where they came from. He was not one to want for a lavish life. He lived a simple but very happy life amongst friends.
Chris left Zimbabwe in 2004, to join his twin brother who had moved to South Africa. In recent years Chris worked in hospitality in the Central Drakensburg where he was very well known and a popular, charismatic man. He always used to say, ‘All I want is to travel the world, make people happy and live in a world full of love and no hate’. His heart knew no hate.
In the Shona culture when a child is born, it’s up to the parent to give them a name that will carry meaning in their life. Chris’ Shona name is Tafadzwa and it means ‘we are Pleased’. I would like to believe his name carried its meaning in his life, in the life he shared with us and the life we shared with him. Christopher Tafadzwa Mandivavarira, we are pleased to have gotten the chance to know you, to love you, and to share a beautiful journey called life with you. It may have been short, but everyday was worth living with you around. Till we meet again brother.