It’s been exactly one year since veteran Nollywood actor Francis Duru lost his beloved 15-year-old son, Ifeanyi, and the pain, he says, still cuts just as deep.
In a gut-wrenching Instagram post shared on Thursday, August 7, 2025, Duru poured out his heart as he remembered the bright, brave teenager who slipped away too soon. He wrote:
“Sweet soul Anyi… It’s one year today you passed unto glory. One year you slipped out of our hands, son. Hmmm… it’s been painful… and it still hurts.”
Francis did not reveal the exact cause of his son’s death, even back in 2024 when the tragedy first struck. But he once described Ifeanyi as a “lion” who “fought like a champ,”suggesting a brave battle with a yet-undisclosed condition.
“No one can fill the void you have left in our lives, in our hearts,” he said in his latest post. “But in all, we give thanks.”
The grieving father admitted that despite the time that has passed, healing has not come easy. The family, he says, continues to grapple with the reality of Ifeanyi’s absence, especially his mother. Francis said:
“It hurts… it hurts… to realize you are no more. But His grace has been sufficient. We mourn you no more, because you live in our hearts, in our spirits, on our lips.”
Back in December 2024, on what would have been Ifeanyi’s 16th birthday, Francis shared another tribute that broke the hearts of many Nigerians. He revealed how the boy had looked forward to turning 16, unaware that life had other plans.
“Mummy weeps each day… while I do mine in the dark,” he wrote at the time, painting a painful picture of two grieving parents still navigating unimaginable loss.
Francis Duru concluded his most recent message with a tone of love and eternal pride, saying:
“You were a good kid. You brought so much joy, laughter, and light. Rest on, sweet soul… rest on, champ. Loads of love, always and forever.”
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