Heaven gained them: Angel mourns Chivayo and Lulu as nation gathers at funeral wake

PROPHET Eubert Angel has poured out his grief over the death of businessman Wicknell Chivayo, describing the man known to many for his lavish generosity as a brother, a family member and an uncle to his children.
Chivayo died in a helicopter crash in Marondera alongside his wife Lulu, two pilots and his wife’s aide.
The bodies of the five victims are still undergoing forensic examination, and family, friends and dignitaries have been gathering at the funeral wake.
As the nation struggled to absorb the news, President Emmerson Mnangagwa visited the Chivayo residence in Gletwin, Harare, this evening to pay his condolences. He was joined by Prophet Emmanuel Makandiwa and a host of government ministers, as mourners streamed to the home of a man whose name had become a byword for big-hearted giving.
In a deeply personal tribute signed off from “The Angel Family”, the Spirit Embassy founder said he was struggling to find words for his loss.
“I struggle to find the right words to express the pain of losing a man who was far more than a generous giver. He became my family, someone whose presence, kindness, friendship and love left a lasting mark on my life, my family and the lives of so many people around the world,” Angel wrote.
For Angel, the loss cut far deeper than a church losing a benefactor. Chivayo had been woven into the fabric of his household.
“My kids called him UNCLE, and he truly became their uncle. He was involved in their lives, cared about what they were doing, celebrated their achievements. He was part of their world,” he said.
“We shared moments, conversations, dreams, laughter, and memories that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.”
The prophet painted a picture of a man who measured wealth not by what he owned but by what he gave away, both to the church and to people whose stories may never be told.
“He gave millions in support of the work of the Lord, helping to advance its mission, strengthen its ministry and enable us to reach people who needed hope, encouragement, and practical support,” Angel said.
“He didn’t stop at the church, he gave to individuals, families, communities and causes that mattered to him. Many people benefited from his kindness, often in ways that may never become known publicly.”
He added: “There are people whose names are remembered because of what they achieved. Others are remembered because of what they accumulated. But Wicknell will be remembered because of what he did.”
Yet it was the quiet, ordinary moments that seemed to weigh heaviest. Angel spoke of the instinct to reach out, only to be stopped by reality.
“There are moments now when I will think, I need to tell Uncle something, and then I will remember that he is no longer here. That is the kind of pain that words cannot explain.”
Despite the anguish, the man of God anchored his message in faith, insisting that grief and hope could live side by side.
“We grieve because we loved them and also because they mattered. We feel this emptiness because their presence meant so much to us. But our faith reminds us that death does not have the final word,” he said.
“We may never fully understand why their journey had to end when it did. I don’t have the answers. But I know Jesus. And I know that even when we cannot understand His ways, we can still trust His heart.”
Angel also extended his sympathy beyond the Chivayo family to the loved ones of the two pilots and the aide.
“Five lives. Five stories. So many people left behind to mourn,” he wrote.
“May Jesus Himself comfort you in the places where words cannot reach. May He hold you through the tears, the silence, the questions, and the memories.”
He said that while his heart was broken, his faith remained, and he believed Chivayo had simply “gone ahead”.
“For me, he will always be remembered as more than a man who gave millions to the Church. He was a man who gave from his heart. He was my brother. He was my children’s Uncle. He was family,” Angel said.

“We did not lose them. Heaven gained them. And one day, by the grace of God, we will see them again.”

He closed his tribute with a farewell to the couple: “Until then, rest well, my brother. Rest well, Uncle. Rest well, Lulu.”

Funeral arrangements will be announced once forensic processes are complete.