Cheryl Thomasgood, a 65-year-old woman from Somerset, has opened up about the profound regrets stemming from a life-altering decision she made in her mid-30s. Over thirty years ago, Cheryl left her husband and three children behind to start a new life with a Maasai warrior she met during a girls' holiday in Kenya.
In 1994, at age 34, Cheryl encountered Daniel Lekimencho, a Maasai warrior performing traditional dances for tourists at the Bamburi Beach Hotel in Mombasa. Drawn to his charm and the allure of a different world, she ended her marriage to Mike and relocated to Kenya’s remote Samburu region to live with Daniel, who was ten years her junior.
Embracing the Maasai lifestyle, Cheryl moved into a mud hut, cooked over open fires, and adopted local customs, including a diet rich in cabbage and cow’s blood. However, the challenges of adapting to such a starkly different culture soon surfaced. Despite their shared spiritual connection, the couple’s differing backgrounds and expectations placed enormous strain on their relationship.
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In 1995, Cheryl and Daniel returned to the United Kingdom, married in traditional Maasai attire on Valentine’s Day, and settled on the Isle of Wight with Cheryl’s children. They later welcomed their daughter, Mitsi, who is now 27. Yet, the idyllic romance unraveled swiftly. Daniel’s focus shifted from spiritual traditions to material desires—expressing a craving for a larger home, designer clothes, and financial support for his family back in Kenya.
“It felt like I was just a meal ticket,” Cheryl confessed. She acknowledges profound regrets, particularly regarding how her choices impacted her children. The cultural friction and struggles to adjust to life in Britain ultimately led to their separation in 1999, just four years after their marriage.
Cheryl candidly reflects on her past: battling childhood trauma and an unhappy marriage, she initially sought solace and healing in Kenya. Instead, the relationship only provided a fleeting escape. “The biggest regret of all was the impact on my children,” she shared. “Daniel tried, but he couldn’t be the father they needed.”
Today, Cheryl has reconciled with her four children—Steve, Tommy, Chloe, and Mitsi—considering her youngest daughter as the sole positive outcome of that complicated chapter. After three marriages, Cheryl has no plans to marry again, describing her past relationships as a “hat-trick of disasters.”
She now issues a heartfelt warning to anyone contemplating a holiday romance: “Be careful. You might end up regretting it for the rest of your life.” Meanwhile, Daniel remains in the UK, currently working at a supermarket on the Isle of Wight.