BBNaija’s Rico Swavey’s mother Halima Hassan has opened up on the emotional toll she faced after losing her son in a tragic car accident.
In a recent interview with media personality Chude Jideonwo, Mrs Hassan opened up about her grief, revealing that Rico was the second son she had lost.
She described the heart-wrenching moment of watching her son die in her arms at a hospital in Lekki.
Overcome with grief, she recalled begging the doctors to let her stay with his body, praying for him to return to her—even if it meant he would remain in a vegetative state.
“It wasn’t easy for me at that time. I wasn’t myself. All I wanted, even if he was a vegetable, was for him to come back to me,” she shared.
Mrs Hassan also spoke about the personal promise she made to Rico in his final moments.
“When he passed on, I told him, ‘The music you couldn’t release, I will help bring it out. I won’t let your hard work go in vain.’”
Her struggles with mental health after Rico’s death were another focal point of the interview.
Rico’s mum recounted how family and friends found her wandering the streets in despair, which led her to seek help at a mental health facility. She spoke about the emotional impact of the loss and how she has been coping since.
“I still have Rico’s pictures all over the house. Every time I look at them, I smile and say, ‘Rico, it’s another day for me.’ I talk to his pictures, sharing my plans for the day, and I pray for strength to move on,” she added.
Rico Swavey tragically passed away on October 13, 2022 after being involved in a car accident.
According to an eyewitness, Sunday Michael, the crash occurred in the early hours of October 12. Michael recounted how he saw the accident and helped transport Rico to the hospital. Unfortunately, despite the efforts, Rico succumbed to his injuries after a delay in receiving critical medical care.