Losing my son made me value time with loved ones more – Sir Sam Jonah

Business magnate Sir Sam Jonah shared his emotional journey after losing his son, Richard, during the 2026 TrueLife Experience keynote address at the Kempinski Hotel in Accra. The experience profoundly impacted his outlook on life and highlighted the significance of spending time with loved ones. Despite his authority in various fields, Jonah asserted that grief cannot be negotiated or negotiated away, emphasizing the loss of his son as a deeply personal loss.

He expressed his deep love and mourning for his son but clarified that the loss had transformed his perception of time and interactions with family. Jonah noted that the weight of moments such as conversations, shared meals, and phone calls had become more poignant, and he became more conscious of the value of each moment with his loved ones.

Reflecting on his career, he acknowledged that his focus on future ambitions had shifted towards appreciating the present, thanks to the lessons learned from his grief. His wife Giselle and their family also made considerable sacrifices to support his career, often bearing the brunt of his demanding schedule, which is seldom acknowledged in professional biographies.

The 2026 TrueLife Experience, themed "The Audacity to Dare," gathered various professionals to discuss courage, personal growth, and purposeful action, with Jonah sharing his personal story of loss and transformation.