Marie-Claire Rupio, partner of Christian Atsu, expressed her desire that his memory remains enduring, even six months after his tragic demise.
In an exclusive conversation with BBC Radio 5 Live, Rupio opened up about the former Ghanaian midfielder who had played for Newcastle United. He tragically lost his life amidst the earthquakes that shook parts of Turkey and Syria.
The earthquakes resulted in a devastating toll of over 50,000 lives, and Atsu, aged 31, was discovered deceased under the debris of his Antakya residence on February 18, nearly two weeks following the quakes.
The couple shared three children, aged nine, six, and three at the time of his passing.
“For me, it’s very important that his name is still there, especially for the children, that he was known, that he was loved by everybody,” she remarked.
“I just hope that his name will never go away.”
In her first media interview since his passing, Rupio discussed the uncertainty surrounding Atsu’s safety, how she learned about unfolding events via the radio, and the profound impact his loss has had on her and their children.
