Charisma recalls his dad fasting, praying for days after he attempted to take his life

Musician Charisma has recalled how his parents were deeply affected by his depression and how his father, in particular, committed many days to fasting and praying after the situation pushed him into attempting to take his life.

Speaking in an interview shared by the Iko Nini Podcast on TikTok on Saturday, November 29, 2025, Charisma said that his parents became extremely worried about his well-being as they watched him sink into depression and heavy alcohol use.

He shared that his mother often broke down in tears while advising him, distressed by the direction his life was taking.

“Sasa, at that time, my parents were fully committed to God for me. My dad was fasting because of me. What inspired me to change was that I wanted to make my parents proud and make them happy, especially my mum. She would call me, and she would just start crying. She did not like the direction my life was heading, how depressed I was, and how I had immersed myself in alcohol because of that depression. She was crying because I had also attempted to take my life,” Charisma shared.

Charisma, born Fidel Shammah, then recalled how the attempt to take his life unfolded, saying he had locked himself inside a room and tried to hang himself from the roof.

 He recalled that his brother heard him in distress, forced open a door, and helped prevent the attempt, while his father cut the rope.

“When I tried to hang myself, they found me in the process and saved me. I remember that when the rope I was using was cut, I realised I should not have done that. My brother also helped save me; he tried to break the door because he could hear me struggling. When they managed to open the door, my brother lifted my legs, and my dad cut the rope,” he said.

The singer explained that they then secluded him and spoke to him privately, offering guidance and support.

“They then took me to a secluded place and talked to me,” Charisma said.

Charisma recalled that during that period, he felt like a failure and believed nothing in his life was progressing, which intensified his depression.

He said that the experience marked a turning point for him and that he resolved never to harm himself again, and that he felt compelled to rebuild his life so he could make his parents proud.

“At that time, I was depressed and felt like a failure. I felt like nothing was happening in my life,” he shared.

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