Riky Rick’s mom Louisa attempts to summit Mount Everest in his honour

It has been a month since rapper and businessman Riky Rick was laid to rest, and in commemoration of his life his mother Louisa Zondo is on a journey to summit Mount Everest.

The rapper, real name Rikhado Makhado, died in March aged 34.

Taking to her social media recently, Riky's mama has been sharing her trek and giving her followers a glimpse into the experience. She has been unpacking different themes, talking about how the journey has compelled her to make sense of everything happening in her life, especially after Riky Rick's death.

Louisa said even though she committed to this trip before Riky's passing, the hike had become her tribute to her son. 

“Dearest MaRiky. It's early hours of the morning on March 23 2022, 1.03am, Nepal time. February 23 is the day on which your spirit and body separated. I am lying on my back in a warm bed in the Bhudda Lounge, Pahkding in Nepal. I'm in Nepal because I am on my way walking to Mount Everest Base Camp.”

Taking to her Facebook account on the first month anniversary of the rapper's passing,  she penned a lengthy post detailing the experience and opened up about how she has been doing since the death of the rapper.

“I am very unskilled at staying with an enquiry — any enquiry — and going deep into it. You know this because during your 34 years of life on this side, you watched me 'busybody' myself through many crises. In fact you were the first person to really teach me to sit with challenges and 'encounter them' without rushing to offer what I perceived to be solutions, without needing to wipe away the challenge. For this reason, my Mount Everest Base Camp walk will be embodied in a long conversation with you,” she wrote

Taking to her Instagram recently on what was day five of the hike, she said the silence called her to reflect on mental health.

“Today we headed for Dingboche at an altitude of 44,00m above sea level. It seems my body can only promise to carry me if I maintain a pattern of extremely slow measured movements and breath intentionally. I comply, and for three and a half hours before lunch, I keep a snail’s pace through steep inclines and rocky terrain.”

“For most of today’s trek, we walked in silence giving full attention to the effort of placing one foot in front of the other. In this solitude, the contemplation of yesterday’s reflections on mental health continued and delved on the question of healing.”