A British woman who once stunned the world by leaving her husband and three children to begin a new life with a Masai warrior in Kenya is now opening up about the emotional cost of her bold decision—and the deep regrets that still linger decades later.
Back in 1995, Cheryl Thomasgood was 34 years old, living a predictable life as a hairdresser on the Isle of Wight. She felt stuck in her marriage and disillusioned with her routine. Seeking clarity, she decided to take a one-week vacation to Africa with a friend. She had no idea that this brief escape would transform her life forever. During her stay in Mombasa, she attended a local hotel event where tribal dancers performed. That’s where she met Daniel Lekimencho, a 6-foot-2 Masai warrior who captivated her the moment she saw him. Cheryl later admitted she was completely taken by his commanding physical presence and traditional charm.
The connection between them was immediate. Daniel approached Cheryl after the performance and offered to show her the local area. Their bond grew stronger over the following days, with the pair exploring the coastal town, sharing laughs, and indulging in their mutual attraction. When the vacation ended, Cheryl was left with a gut-wrenching decision—return to her family in England or take a leap of faith with the man she had fallen for. Torn between responsibility and passion, Cheryl chose the latter. “He was so beautiful, I had to make a decision,” she later said. “Do I go back and be the good suburban wife, or do I take a chance and start living for myself?”
Within weeks, Cheryl left her second husband, Mike Mason, along with their three children. Surprisingly, Mike took the news with a degree of grace that caught many off guard. He acknowledged that their marriage had been on shaky ground and, remarkably, even sold his car to help fund Cheryl’s return flight to Kenya. “People thought I was weak for supporting her,” Mike said, “but there were kids involved, and I wanted to stay on good terms. I had to accept it was over.”
Cheryl moved to Kenya in late 1994, embracing life in Daniel’s village, where he lived in a mud hut and spent his days hunting and living according to Masai traditions. At first, she tried to adapt to the harsh environment and the cultural shift. But the intense heat during the day, the freezing nights, and the absence of modern conveniences soon began to wear her down. Eventually, her health declined, and she realized she needed to return to England to recover. Determined not to give up on her relationship, Cheryl sold her story to the media to finance Daniel’s trip to the UK.
In a striking gesture of cultural fusion, the couple married on Valentine’s Day 1995, dressed in full Masai regalia. However, British authorities suspected the marriage might have been a means for Daniel to gain residency. That suspicion led to his deportation later that year. Still, the pair reunited and returned to the UK in the following years, settling back on the Isle of Wight and raising their daughter, Mitsi.
Their romance had all the markings of a love story for the ages, but as time passed, reality began to set in. Cheryl now admits that the relationship was far from the spiritual connection she had once believed it to be. In retrospect, she believes she was used as a “meal ticket” by Daniel. Once in England, his focus shifted from cultural pride to material desires—constantly pushing for a bigger house, designer clothes, and money to send back to his family in Kenya.
“The only time he seemed truly happy was when he was outside in the garden doing his traditional Masai dance,” Cheryl recalled. “He’d jump around saying he was preparing for battle, trying to jump as high as an elephant. The kids loved it at first, but over time, it started to really wear me down.”
By 1999, just four years after their wedding, cultural clashes and emotional strain caused their marriage to collapse. Cheryl has since opened up about her personal history, sharing that she was sexually abused as a child and had carried emotional trauma into adulthood. Her unhappy marriage before meeting Daniel, coupled with unresolved pain, left her vulnerable. A friend from her church choir had encouraged her to take the trip to Kenya, hoping it would help Cheryl heal—but it ended up being an escape that brought new forms of hardship.
Cheryl admits the experience deeply affected her children—Steve, now 43; Tommy, 41; Chloe, 34; and Mitsi, 27. Having a Masai warrior for a father was not easy for them, especially in a culture so vastly different from his own. “Daniel tried his best, but he never really understood the Western lifestyle. He couldn’t be the father they needed,” Cheryl said.
Despite the challenges and mistakes, Cheryl has worked hard to maintain strong relationships with her children, and she’s proud of the bond they still share. Now 65, she lives a quiet, private life in a coastal town in Somerset, far from the media attention and drama of her past. She has no intention of marrying again, jokingly referring to her past relationships as a “hat trick of disasters.”
As for Daniel, he remains on the Isle of Wight, working at a local supermarket. The vibrant Masai warrior Cheryl once fell for now leads a life far removed from the tribal traditions of his youth. Their story, once a global fascination, has faded from headlines, but the lessons Cheryl learned remain deeply etched in her heart—a cautionary tale of love, choices, and the high price of following passion without pause.
