Cheryl Thomasgood’s story made headlines worldwide when she left her comfortable English life on the Isle of Wight to begin a new chapter with Masai warrior Daniel Lekimencho in Kenya. Now decades later, Cheryl reflects on the emotional toll the decision took on her and her family.
Back in 1994, Cheryl was a 34-year-old hairdresser feeling trapped in a struggling marriage and unfulfilled in her career. A holiday to Kenya with a friend turned her world upside down when she met Daniel, a 6-foot-2 Masai warrior and traditional dancer performing for tourists. They had an immediate, powerful connection despite a decade age difference and vastly different worlds.
When the three-week trip ended, Cheryl knew she had a choice: stay with her husband and children in England or follow her heart. Daniel’s simple life—living in mud huts, hunting wildlife—offered stark contrast to her suburban existence. Cheryl chose the latter, leaving her husband Mike Mason and three children.
Surprisingly, Mike displayed grace despite the pain, even selling his car to help fund Cheryl’s journey back to Kenya. The couple married on Valentine’s Day 1995 in traditional Masai attire, but authorities suspected the marriage was a ploy for citizenship and deported Daniel.
They reunited in England later, raising their daughter Mitsi while trying to navigate cultural differences. What began as a fairytale romance soon unraveled. Daniel’s obsession with material gains and difficulty adapting to Western life strained their relationship.
Cheryl describes growing regrets, especially over how the upheaval affected her children. She suffered childhood trauma and was seeking escape, but Daniel’s failure to be the father they needed led to fights and eventual separation in 1999.
Today, Cheryl lives quietly in Somerset with her children and has no plans to remarry. Daniel remains on the Isle of Wight, working in a supermarket, far from the romantic dream they once shared.
