Nikki

Funmi Afelumo Memorial Academic Award

“On October 9, 2021, the inaugural annual Funmi Afelumo Memorial Academic Award was presented to the best overall students of science at Providence Heights Secondary School in Lagos, Nigeria. The awarded students were the best in the U.S high school equivalents of 10th and 11th grades. The award, given to students at Funmi’s alma mater,Continue reading “Funmi Afelumo Memorial Academic Award”

One Year Gone but Never to be Forgotten

We met this past weekend to carry out Funmi’s last wishes, to reintroduce what remains of his body into the beautiful Adirondack wilderness. Not many were able to make this trip and so we tried to capture as much of the moment on video as possible. Please enjoy this compilation including contributions by Funmi’s childhoodContinue reading “One Year Gone but Never to be Forgotten”

Going to Go Back There Someday

Funmi loved to inspire the best in people. He pushed me towards music and I am all the better for it. I learned how to play ukulele and my favorite song to perform was “Going to Go Back There Someday” from the Muppets. It’s about the longing we feel for our dreams. It was oneContinue reading “Going to Go Back There Someday”

Funmi, My Beloved

“I first met Funmi while dating my now husband, Andriy Nagay, in 2008! They were both in the accounting program at UCA…I also graduated from UCA but from the other side of the campus in the art program! “Funmi was at our wedding helping us celebrate life and love! We had many nights of StellasContinue reading “Funmi, My Beloved”

Grief and Acceptance

Yesterday the dam broke. A castle of memories had been constructed and all sense of the dark reality we live in was kept at bay by a large impenetrable wall. That wall was maintained and strengthened over the months with each passing day being indistinguishable from the next. Eventually, it became a towering structure thatContinue reading “Grief and Acceptance”

Church Mouse

Due to my discomfort in houses of worship, I initially refused Funmi’s invitations to join him for a service at Plymouth Church. However, one particular weekend we were both having a difficult time due to our collective poor health and, not wanting to break the spell of healing our conversations had cast, decided to comeContinue reading “Church Mouse”

Memento

Funmi was an incredible person. There are so many touching memories of Funmi. He visited me in May 2017 after his first chemo was terminated successfully. We went to New England aquarium where he enjoyed for a while looking at his favorite aquatic animal, turtles. We went to the Crane Beach in Ipswich, MA. IContinue reading “Memento”

Laugh-Screaming

In 2017, we celebrated Funmi’s cancer going into remission with a trip to Walt Disney World. We stayed at the luxurious Animal Kingdom Lodge which has an on-site savanna. Our flight was delayed so there was only enough time to drop our bags off before heading to the first park: Hollywood Studios. Of course, Funmi’sContinue reading “Laugh-Screaming”

Goodbye

On Easter Sunday 2020, my mom and I drove the near empty roads of Long Island past the signs warning us to “Stay Home, Save Lives.” It was just us and the trucks heading 65 MPH over the George Washington bridge. The surreal vista of a world in shutdown matched the empty feeling of dreadContinue reading “Goodbye”