Kenyan Nurse in US Goes Viral for Saving Colleague's Life During Shift, Sparks Debate on Healthcare Worker Shortages Back Home

Country: United States
Date Published: January 17, 2026

Nairobi, Kenya – A Kenyan nurse based in Atlanta, Georgia, has captured the attention of thousands on X (formerly Twitter) after sharing a dramatic account of saving her colleague's life during a hectic night shift at a local hospital. Mercyline Wanjiku, who has been working in the US for five years, posted a thread detailing how she performed emergency CPR on a fellow nurse who suffered a cardiac arrest, crediting her quick thinking for the successful revival. The post, which garnered over 50,000 likes and thousands of retweets by Tuesday evening, has ignited widespread praise from the Kenyan diaspora and homeland audiences alike.

Wanjiku's story began trending on January 17 when she uploaded a video clip from the hospital's security footage (with permissions), showing the tense moments in the ER. "As Kenyans abroad, we carry our resilience everywhere. Today, I saved a life – but who's saving ours back home?" she wrote in the viral thread, which included photos of her receiving a commendation from hospital administrators. Verified Kenyan influencers like @CitiZenTVKenya and diaspora account @KenyansInUSA reposted the content, amplifying it to millions. Users flooded the comments with heart emojis and stories of similar heroism, hailing her as a "true daughter of the soil."

However, the celebration has not been unanimous, with the discussion branching into heated debates about Kenya's ongoing brain drain in healthcare. Prominent X users, including Kenyan MP Babu Owino (@Babu_Owino), criticized the government for failing to retain talent, tweeting, "Mercyline is saving lives in America while our hospitals beg for nurses. Time to bring our heroes home! #DiasporaHeroes." Regular users echoed this sentiment, sharing stats on how over 10,000 Kenyan nurses have emigrated in recent years, leaving public facilities understaffed. Some accused Wanjiku of "glory-seeking," though she responded humbly, dedicating the praise to her training at Kenyatta National Hospital.

The thread has also highlighted positive community efforts, with Kenyan groups in the US announcing scholarship funds for nursing students back home in Wanjiku's honor. As discussions continue to trend under #MercylineTheHero, her story underscores the dual-edged sword of the diaspora experience: remarkable achievements abroad juxtaposed against the challenges and criticisms faced by Kenyans navigating life overseas. Hospital officials confirmed the incident, praising Wanjiku's professionalism, while she told followers she's considering a foundation to support Kenyan medics. The buzz shows no signs of slowing, with global Kenyan networks rallying in support.