From where I sit: Peter Kosgei '11

by Nicolas Keller Sarmiento '13
FEATURES CONTRIBUTOR

Nicolas Keller Sarmiento ’13 is a Hamilton sophomore from Argentina. For this article, he interviewed Peter Kosgei ’11, a Hamilton senior from Kenya.

The hospital smelled clean. I was guided through many corridors before we finally got to the rehabilitation area.  Appropriately, on the wall by the first floor elevators were the words, “Courage–grace under pressure.” As I walked into his room, Peter greeted me with a smile and continued to eat his dinner. The room was simple and tidy, besides Steve Bellona’s borrowed DVDs scattered on the bed and the bags of open chips on a shelf. The mood was cheerful for we were anticipating Peter’s return to campus the following day.

Peter Kosgei ’11 is a chemistry major from Kenya, best known on campus for his consistently outstanding athletic performance. Peter’s indoor and outdoor running has won him nine NCAA titles and has proven that he is a unique asset to the Continentals. Peter’s reputation draws sports enthusiasts from near and far to attend Hamilton’s track meets to witness his athletic talents first hand. Unfortunately, due to an incident last month, Peter’s fans will be concerned and upset by the news that Peter won’t be running any time soon.

At the beginning of spring break, Peter returned to Kenya because of a family matter. The incident occurred on a dark night in the town of Eldoret, while he was heading to the bus station. “I don’t know where to start,” he began explaining to me. “I was walking towards the bus station when these persons just showed up and smashed me in the face. I fell, and I lost consciousness.” Police stopped the attack before more damage was done. “It’s really unfortunate for me, but I would say that some people do that for a living. […] Some just want to kill.”

Peter awoke the next day in the hospital and found out that his legs had been beaten severely. Ankle and leg bones were broken and his left ulna was shattered. Kenyan doctors decided to give him three “old-school casts.” Peter stayed at a friend’s house in Eldoret until his return to the U.S.A. a week after the attack.

After taking a bus to Nairobi, Peter began his long series of flights back (about 25 hours long) to Hamilton, arriving on March 28. He was promptly taken to a hospital, underwent necessary surgeries and received constant visits from students. He noted that he “had tons of people [visit]. Everybody was and still is concerned and really supportive–especially all the Hamilton people. So yeah, and here we are. Every day I get closer to a full recovery.”

But Peter has a long recovery ahead of him before he can race again. “I was hoping to qualify for Nationals in one or two events: well it’s gone out the window now,” said Peter.

Still, Peter remains surprisingly positive about this whole catastrophe as he adjusts to his wheelchair. “Hopefully I won’t get fat,” he smiled broadly as he downed his blueberry muffin. Peter plans to graduate on time and start graduate school in the fall.

“Nobody should be really sorry about what happened, because it’s nobody’s fault. Sometimes I don’t even know what to say when people say they’re sorry it happened. I think that’s the American way of showing sympathy, and I do appreciate their kindness.”

At the end of the interview, I asked Peter if there was anything he wanted to tell the student body. He said the following: “Be nice to everybody: enemies and friends.”

I left the clean-smelling hospital with a smile on my face, knowing that the grace under pressure we see in Peter’s winning performances is the courage that shines in eyes as he returns to the life he loves and the place he calls home. With the support from the community on the Hill, Peter will get better sooner than expected, just one wheel-turn at a time.

From Where I Sit is a column dedicated to the international voices of Hamilton’s campus.  If you are an international student and are interested in contributing a column, contact Barbara Britt-Hysell (bbritthy@hamilton.edu)