When the police called Denise Chibueze to identify the body of her husband, Marsa FC footballer Basil Chibueze, it was a repeat of the day she lost her first husband – his brother – in similar circumstances.

Basil Chibueze, a Nigerian, passed away on Monday while jogging. His Maltese wife is still reeling from the shock of her second husband’s sudden death but she speaks of him lovingly, calling him an exemplary partner and father.

I kept hoping till the end that it wasn’t him

Her first husband, Ikechukwu Chibueze, was also a footballer, playing for Mqabba.

He brought Basil over to Malta but died suddenly aged 23 just six months later in 2007.

Basil Chibueze in his blue Marsa FC gear. Photo: Stephen Gatt

Then, as now, heart failure was the cause, even though both brothers were extremely fit and healthy.

Denise and Basil married in 2008. Their three-year-old son, Ike, is named after her first husband.

“Ikechukwu died in a very similar way. He was jogging the day before. Then, the next day, in the evening, he went to have a shower and fell. They told me it was also heart failure. He died in his brother’s arms,” she said.

She is only 30 and is having to cope with the death of a second husband: “Basil had only been here six months. It’s like his brother waited for him to arrive before he passed away. Basil helped me cope with everything. Eventually we fell in love and had a son who we called Ike after my first husband and Basil’s brother,” she adds.

‘I thought he was watching World Cup’

Ms Chibueze says she managed to cope with her first husband’s death through suppressing memories.

“Basil helped me get over Ike but it is not going to be easy now. My son constantly reminds me of his father.”

She cries when she speaks, obviously heartbroken, and says the most difficult part was being called by the police to identify his body.

Mr Chibueze, 24, left home at 7pm to go jogging. When he failed to return at the usual time, she assumed he had stopped to watch a World Cup match.

Helping my son understand won’t be easy

Yet, she thought this was strange because Mr Chibueze would never usually socialise, more so without having first showered and changed after his jog.

“He was obsessed about hygiene. He wouldn’t stop and watch a football match while sweating but what else can you think?” she says.

She thought football might have enticed him to stay. Brazil and Cameroon were playing at the time.

She prepared his meal on the table and went to bed with Ike.

“Suddenly, I woke up and things didn’t feel right. He was not around and that was really unlike him. He is such a family man. I panicked,” Ms Chibueze says.

Suddenly, the police called and said they found someone in Sliema. They asked her if she could go and identify him.

“I kept hoping till the end it wasn’t him. He was jogging, so he didn’t have many personal belongings with him.

“His shoes were still in Sliema. So I had to identify the body. I still can’t believe it. I am still processing this,” she admits.

Mr Chibueze was a health freak, constantly watchful of his diet and making sure his son also grew up healthy. He refused soft drinks, only drank water and never smoked.

“He was always at home. Other than work and football, he spent his time with his family. He was a loving husband and father.

“We spent such a short while together. I wish we could have spent more time together,” Ms Chibueze says.

His son does not yet understand the concept of death and thinks his father is abroad since he was in Germany recently.

This is the only way he can explain his father being away.

“In time he will ask me. That will be tough. Helping him to understand will not be easy,” his mother says.

She is constantly flanked by her mother, who is her bastion of support. Mrs Chibueze says she also has a strong circle of friends who hold her up. But she breaks down into tears every other sentence, clearly lost and shocked by all that happened.

“I am now concerned about my son. Basil was very disciplined and wanted his son to grow up strong. He didn’t allow us to cuddle him too much and wanted to prepare him to face life.

“Now it’s me and my mother – all we do is cuddle and pamper him. Basil will be sorely missed,” Mrs Chibueze says.