Gospel DJ and social media personality Karumba Ngatia, popularly known as DJ Krowbar, has shared a message of hope and determination as he navigates life following the untimely death of his wife, Joyce Wanjiru Karumba.
In a post made on his Facebook page on Monday, February 9, 2026, Krowbar reflected on his daily life, family responsibilities, and plans for the year ahead, signalling his resolve to embrace the new season with strength and focus.
He described the mornings at home, observing his children preparing for school while balancing work commitments, and highlighted the need to manage professional responsibilities even as he continues to grieve.
“I am seeing my kids preparing for school, I have to make a few work calls today… We begin the new season,” he wrote.
Krowbar expressed his intention to make 2026 his best year yet, signalling a personal commitment to growth, resilience, and embracing opportunities despite the tragedy that has impacted his family.
“BEST YEAR YET” loading. This is going to be my best year yet,” DJ Krowbat shared.
The DJ’s message comes after a deeply painful period in his life. His wife, Joyce, affectionately known as Joy, passed away on Monday, January 26, 2026, at 3 a.m., after a long and challenging medical journey.
Joyce had undergone a kidney transplant in mid-2025, following complications from a serious illness.
While initial procedures offered hope, she later faced infections and other health challenges that required repeated hospital admissions.
Joyce left behind a legacy of love and resilience, cherished by Krowbar and their three children: Toria, Riri, and Imani.
Joyce’s burial
The DJ’s wife was laid to rest in an emotional ceremony held on Thursday, February 5, 2026.
During the event, Krowbar revealed that Joyce’s health struggles began long before her passing, with her condition worsening to the point of hospital admission, followed by an extended and difficult road toward a kidney transplant.
He explained that after her diagnosis, Joyce was admitted to hospital, and about a year and a half later, towards the end of 2023, doctors officially began preparations for a kidney transplant.
“She was diagnosed and admitted, and about a year and a half later, towards the end of 2023, that is when the journey for a kidney transplant started,” he shared.
According to the DJ, this marked the start of an intense medical phase that required extensive testing to assess the state of her kidneys.
Krowbar noted that one of the key tests conducted was an ultrasound scan, which doctors use to measure the size and functionality of a patient’s kidneys.
“When that journey began, there is a specific test that you take. Doctors have to measure the size of your current kidneys. It is usually an ultrasound test where they measure the size of the organ that is already there,” he shared.
He explained that people on dialysis still have functioning kidneys, but the organs often do not operate at full capacity, with one kidney typically functioning more than the other.
In Joyce’s case, he revealed that both kidneys were operating at critically low levels. While a healthy balance would see the kidneys functioning at higher percentages, Joyce’s kidney function had dropped significantly, with doctors confirming it was below 15 per cent. He added that the actual figure was around nine per cent, highlighting how severe her condition had become.
“People on dialysis still have functioning kidneys, but what happens is that the kidneys do not operate at 100 per cent. One may be functioning at 65 per cent and the other at 35 per cent, so one becomes bigger than the other,” he said.
The DJ recalled accompanying his wife for the ultrasound scan and later receiving the radiology report.
He said the moment they sat in the car to read the results remains etched in his memory, especially upon seeing the recorded size of Joyce’s kidney, which confirmed the seriousness of her illness and the urgent need for medical intervention.
“When they checked Joyce, the functioning of both her kidneys was below 15 per cent. The actual number was nine per cent. So we went and did that scan, and we left, and the radiologist remained behind to write the report. I remember later we were given the report, and we went to the car to read it, and I remember seeing the size that had been recorded on the kidney,” he said.
