Meet Joe Blankson, the hero who saved 13 lives before drowning on his 14th rescue attempt.
In July 2018, Joseph “Joe” Blankson tragically lost his life while rescuing 13 passengers from a capsized boat on the Abonnema-Bakana waterway in Rivers State, Nigeria. On his 14th rescue attempt, he succumbed to exhaustion and drowned. He was the only casualty that day.
Joe left behind his wife, Mercy Blankson, and their two children—a 7-month-old daughter and a 5-year-old son at the time. Today, their daughter is 7 years old, and their son is 12. Mercy was breastfeeding her baby girl when Joe left for work that morning. That was the last time she ever saw him.
Kalabari Tradition and the Pain of No Burial
According to Kalabari tradition, individuals who die by drowning are not given conventional burials. Instead, their bodies are returned to the river or left by the riverside—a practice rooted in long-standing spiritual beliefs. Death by drowning is considered a “forbidden death”, and it is believed that bringing the body back to land could bring misfortune or spiritual unrest to the family and wider community.
Joe’s body was not buried. As Mercy shared, “Joe wasn’t buried. He was dumped by the riverside according to tradition. That’s another thing I’m yet to get over, which I’m not sure it’s possible to.”
His final resting place, the Woji River, now holds both his memory and the grief of a family denied proper closure.
Unfulfilled Promises and Continued Struggles
After Joe’s death, the Rivers State government, led by then-Governor Nyesom Wike, publicly promised to support his family. The governor pledged to offer Mercy employment and establish an education fund of ₦10 million (approximately $25,000) for the children. But seven years later, none of those promises have been fulfilled.
Despite Mercy’s efforts to follow up with both the former and current administration, she has received no support. She continues to raise her two children alone—grieving, working, and struggling to keep up with their needs.
The Joe Blankson Foundation
In 2019, Mercy launched the Joe Blankson Foundation, dedicated to water safety and swimming education in Nigeria. The foundation aims to prevent similar tragedies by teaching young people essential survival skills. She also met with President Muhammadu Buhari during this time, as part of efforts to honor Joe’s legacy.
GoFundMe and Community Support
Last week, after we shared Joe’s story on one of our platforms, Mercy—the widow of Joseph Blankson—reached out to us. Through continued interaction, she opened up about how difficult life has been since her husband’s passing. Despite public promises, she and her children have received no real support. After seeing the response from our community, including people offering to help, we felt it was only right to step in. With Mercy’s full consent, we’ve created and shared an official GoFundMe, aiming to raise what the government once promised but never fulfilled. We’ve also verified her identity through direct messages, follow-backs, and the photos she shared of her children.
Joe gave his life to save others. Mercy has carried the weight of that sacrifice ever since. Now it’s our turn to support her.
Click here to donate
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