In honor and remembrance of TU employee Arthur Kamithi

On Nov. 25, 2018, the Towson men’s basketball team won its game against Loyola Blakefield 85-69.  For me, it was a good game. Towson had a lead early, got behind at one point and came back to win with an impressive score.

I worked the game, providing coverage for Facilities Management. My office is in SECU Arena. I was also in SECU Arena that morning, providing coverage for the entire campus.

I always feel gratitude when walking from my office into the “bowl” of SECU Arena. I have received a lot of praise from visitors for its design, it’s sound, it’s upkeep.

That morning, however, was bittersweet.

Earlier that morning I received word that Arthur Kamithi, the Kenyan man who cares for SECU Arena and Towson Center event flooring, passed away the day before.

‘It’s sad,’ I thought as I walked out into the arena. ‘How many people come through this building and have never met Arthur.’ It was not the first time I had the thought.  

Arthur was a native Kenyan who came to America to provide a better life for him, his wife and two sons. In recent years, he was living alone in his mid-sixties working several jobs and as many as hours as he could. He was saving to return to Kenya for his retirement.

He was always pleasant, always on time. Soft spoken, very hard working. People often refer to the way he walked as though he was skipping. He was happy.  

He was most visible when dragging what looked like a 7-foot-long board with a 7-foot-long white towel wrapped around the board. He walked backwards using a rope tied to the ends of the board as the middle of the rope draped around his lower back. Back and forth he went, spraying the solution, dragging the board.

He did this until the floor shined the way you see it before every event. He took great pride in all the work he did for ABM, especially the work he did taking care of the SECU Arena flooring.

There is a Go Fund Me page where anyone interested in helping can do so by giving a much-appreciated donation of any amount. This will help Arthur’s Family with funeral expenses and to take him home to Kenya

The link for the Go Fund Me page is: http://gf.me/u/nv4tyu

Monetary donation can also be sent to Arthur’s son on Cash App $jesh10 or 9136719057

Herb Hollidge

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