Awura Adjoa Kumi Kyere, widow of late Ghana Armed Forces pilot Flying Officer Manaen Twum Ampadu, has encouraged families who have lost loved ones to hold firmly onto their faith and remain hopeful despite the pain of grief.
Speaking during the family reflections at a national interfaith memorial service held on Thursday, August 6, 2026, to commemorate one year since the tragic Ghana Armed Forces helicopter crash, she shared an emotional message of resilience, saying her faith in God had sustained her throughout one of the most difficult periods of her life.
Reflecting on the journey since the August 6, 2025 tragedy, Mrs. Kumi Kyere acknowledged the immense challenges of coping with the loss of her husband but said the support of family, friends, colleagues and the wider community had helped her endure.
She expressed heartfelt appreciation to the Presidency, the Military High Command, serving and retired officers of the Ghana Armed Forces, defence civilian staff, family members, friends and religious leaders for standing by her throughout the grieving process.
According to her, overcoming grief requires the support of a caring community.
“It truly takes a village when it comes to grief and grieving,” she said, adding that the prayers and encouragement she received from religious leaders had brought her comfort and strength.
Delivering a message of hope to others experiencing similar loss, she urged bereaved families not to lose faith even when the burden of grief feels overwhelming.
“To everyone who may be in such a situation right now, I pray that you can look at me and find hope that this is an ending and not the ultimate end. It may not get any better soon, but it will not always be this heavy,” she said.
The national interfaith memorial service brought together grieving families, government officials, military personnel, religious leaders and members of the public to honour the lives and service of the eight victims who perished in the Ghana Armed Forces Z-9 helicopter crash in the Adansi Akrofuom District of the Ashanti Region on August 6, 2025.
The victims included Defence Minister Dr Edward Kofi Omane Boamah; Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation Dr Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed; Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator Alhaji Muniru Mohammed; former Ashanti Regional Minister Dr Samuel Sarpong; former National Democratic Congress parliamentary candidate Samuel Aboagye; Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala; Flying Officer Manaen Twum Ampadu; and Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah.
The memorial marked one year since the tragedy, providing an opportunity for the nation to remember the lives, dedicated service and sacrifices of the eight individuals while offering comfort to their families and loved ones.
