He was with Nelson Mandela during all those years the anti-apartheid icon was imprisoned on Robben Island. And, like millions around the world, he has been hit hard by Mr Mandela's death.
Yet this South African was not one of Mr Mandela's fellow prisoners. Christo Brand was his jailer.
The two men - the black political prisoner and the white Afrikaans warden - forged an unlikely but enduring friendship.
They last met about two years ago when Mr Brand, now in his 50s, brought his wife, son and grandson to see Mr Mandela in Cape Town for a Sunday afternoon visit that lasted nearly three hours.
They had "nice chats about the past, about his family. He wanted to pick up my grandchild, to hold him, which he was a little bit shy to go to him. You could see he really reached out for touching a child at that moment," Mr Brand recalled.
"When I got the message when he passed away, it was very sad for me," Mr Brand told the Associated Press on Saturday. "But I think he was successful and he did what he wanted to do. I wanted him to go in peace and I am thinking of the family today, what they go through."
Mr Brand started to work on Robben Island in 1978 when he was 18 and Mr Mandela was 60. Mr Mandela spent 18 of his 27 years in prison on Robben Island.
Eventually Mr Brand grew to like Mr Mandela and smuggled in special treats such as bread and Mr Mandela's favourite hair pomade. Mr Brand even sneaked in Mr Mandela's infant granddaughter so that the prisoner could hold her.
For his part, Mr Mandela encouraged Mr Brand to continue his education and maintained an interest in him and his family.
Years later, when Mr Mandela was president, he took special care to single out Mr Brand for recognition when Mr Brand was a lowly civil servant as South Africa's new constitution was being drafted.
Mr Mandela flew in by helicopter and entered the room where members of parliament were debating the new constitution, said Mr Brand.
Mr Mandela went around the room shaking hands with parliamentarians but when he saw Mr Brand, who was distributing documents, Mr Mandela lifted his arms and warmly greeted him.
"He immediately made a big announcement to everyone: 'You know who is this person? This person was my warden, this person was my friend'." Mr Brand said he felt very humble and proud at that moment. After that, when the parliamentarians went out for a group photo, Mr Mandela insisted that Mr Brand be in the photo. "He said 'No, no. You must stand next to me, we belong together'."
Mr Brand once again works on Robben Island, which is no longer a prison but a bustling tourist attraction. He and other former guards and prisoners tell visitors about the new South Africa's racial reconciliation.
Mr Brand said he shared a joke with Mr Mandela about his final resting place.
"I say to Mandela that we must bury you on Robben Island. Then he just laughed. He said 'Why? For tourist attraction?' He said 'You should have made money. But I think I must go to Qunu.' That was him, making a joke."