Wicknell Chivayo’s final day began with a social media post about gratitude, friendship and two lawyers who had been part of his life for decades. He was giving away luxury cars and hundreds of thousands of dollars, just as he had done many times before.

Hours later, the Zimbabwean businessman was dead.

Chivayo, 43, and his wife, Lucy Muteke, were among six people killed when a helicopter crashed in the Marondera Rural area, southeast of Harare, on Wednesday, September 30, 2026. Police said the aircraft went down at about 5 pm, while authorities later confirmed there were no survivors.

The events of his final 24 hours have since drawn attention because of how ordinary some of them appeared at the time. There was no public indication that Chivayo expected the day to end differently.

Here are five key moments from his final day.

1. He started the morning thanking old friends

At about 8:20 am on September 30, Chivayo published what became his final public post on X.

The lengthy message was headed around the idea of appreciating relationships built over decades. His focus was on two lawyers, Wilson Tatenda Manase and Sylvester Hashiti.

Chivayo wrote about knowing Manase since 1998, when he said he was renting a single room in Hillside and trying to establish himself.

He described the lawyer as a father figure, mentor, brother, adviser and confidant.

The message offered a glimpse of the businessman looking backwards rather than simply showing off the wealth that had become a familiar feature of his social media pages.

2. His definition of a “thank you” was rather expensive

Chivayo’s appreciation came with gifts that would make most birthday presents look rather modest.

He promised Manase a 2026 Lexus GX 550 valued at US$220,000, as well as US$250,000 in cash.

He then moved to Hashiti, whom he described as a younger brother and someone he had previously bought three cars for.

This time, Hashiti was promised a 2026 Range Rover Sport Autobiography and US$500,000 in cash.

Taken together, the two cash gifts amounted to US$750,000, while the promised vehicles added another substantial amount.

Chivayo said the gifts were meant to recognise years of professional service, mentorship, friendship and loyalty.

For the average person, sending a thank-you text might do the job. Chivayo’s version involved luxury SUVs and enough cash to make a bank manager sit up a little straighter.

3. His final message was not a farewell

One phrase from the post received particular attention after news of the crash emerged.

Chivayo wrote that he had “saved the best for last” while moving on to the final people he wanted to appreciate.

Read before the accident, the words were simply part of his message about recognising people who had supported him over the years.

After his death, however, the phrase naturally acquired a different meaning for readers.

There is no evidence that Chivayo knew he was going to die or that the post was intended as a farewell. The available reporting shows that he was publicly celebrating his relationships earlier that morning and later died in the crash.

That distinction matters because social media can quickly turn an ordinary statement into something that appears prophetic after a tragedy.

4. He was later seen inside the helicopter

Separate footage that emerged after the crash showed Chivayo inside a helicopter during what appeared to be a normal flight.

In the video, he recorded himself from inside the aircraft and pointed the camera towards another helicopter flying nearby.

He appeared relaxed as he filmed the journey.

The footage has since attracted considerable attention because viewers know what happened later that day. But the video itself does not establish what Chivayo was thinking or whether he had any indication that the flight would end in tragedy.

The circumstances that caused the crash remain subject to investigation.

5. By evening, everything had changed

At around 5 pm, authorities reported that a helicopter carrying six people had crashed in Marondera Rural.

The aircraft had four passengers and two crew members on board. Government officials said there were no survivors.

Police said the crash caused a fire and that efforts were underway to identify those who had died.

Chivayo and Muteke were subsequently confirmed among the victims.

The contrast between the morning and evening was stark.

Only hours earlier, Chivayo had been writing about people who had known him since his early days and promising them expensive gifts. By nightfall, the businessman who had built a huge following around his wealth, philanthropy, business dealings and high-profile relationships was gone.