I nearly committed suicide after losing everything in June 3 disaster – Fred Kyei Mensah

Veteran music producer Fred Kyei Mensah, popularly known as Fredyma, has shared a heartbreaking story of how he almost took his own life after losing everything in the June 3, 2015 flood and fire disaster in Accra.

Speaking in an interview, the renowned sound engineer recounted how the tragedy destroyed his recording studio, musical instruments, and ten vehicles, wiping out his entire livelihood in one night.

“I lost my studio, ten cars, and three buses full of live band instruments. Everything that gave me my daily bread was gone in one day. That moment, I nearly committed suicide. I really thought of giving up,” he said.

Fredyma said what stopped him from taking his life was thinking about his children, especially his youngest one.

“I told myself, if I leave this boy, how is he going to survive? That thought kept me alive,” he revealed.

He explained that his studio was located only about 30 meters away from the filling station that exploded during the disaster, killing and injuring many people.

“If I had been there that night, I would have died,” he said.

Describing the extent of the damage, he said the floodwater mixed with sea salt destroyed the engines of his vehicles and all his equipment.

“The water stayed so long that the salt particles rusted everything,” he lamented.

Fredyma, who has worked with several top Ghanaian musicians, said the experience was one of the darkest moments of his life.

He added that despite helping many people in his career, some were happy about his downfall, a reality he has learned to accept as part of human nature.

“Some of the people I helped were happy when I fell, but that’s life. Sometimes, you just have to thank God for keeping you alive,” he said.

By: Jacob Aggrey