Maureen Waititu reveals she once planned to end her life

Maureen Waititu has opened up about a dark period in her life, revealing that she once planned to end her life by setting her car on fire.

Maureen shared the deeply personal experience on Thursday, September 10, 2026, while reflecting on her mental health journey during World Suicide Awareness Day.

She said the incident happened on October 11, 2019, while she was in Murang’a, a period when she felt that ending her life was the only option.

“This photo was taken on 11th October 2019 – We were in Murang’a, and the only thing that made sense was to leave this world. I had it all planned out. Drop the kids home, pass by the gas station, buy whatever fuel I could get, drive off and set the car on fire,” Maureen said.

Looking back on the moment years later, Maureen said she remains emotional when she considers how seriously she had planned to take her own life.

“This makes me so emotional when I think about it – but God with His humour and grace made that,” she said.

The thoughts continued after the 2019 incident

Maureen revealed that while the 2019 incident was the last time she attempted to take her life, it was not the last time she experienced suicidal thoughts.

“It was the last attempt to take my life – but not the last time I thought about it,” she said.

The revelation highlighted the difficult journey she experienced even after the incident, as thoughts of suicide continued to affect her before eventually becoming less frequent.

Maureen said several years have now passed since she last experienced such thoughts, describing the change as a significant shift in her outlook on life.

“It’s been a few years since I thought about it and now I want to live soooooo bad,” she said.

A reflection on how far she has come

By sharing the experience, Maureen offered a glimpse into a period when she was struggling deeply and had reached a point where she believed death was the only way out.

Her reflection also highlighted the contrast between her state of mind in 2019 and where she is today, with Maureen expressing a strong desire to continue living.

Her account comes as conversations around suicide prevention and mental health take centre stage during World Suicide Awareness Day, with personal stories such as hers highlighting the importance of recognising and addressing suicidal thoughts and emotional distress.