Simba's sister, Valerie: "He was my cheerleader"

It's been just over a week since Simba Mhere passed away.

As much as South Africans are mourning his loss, his parents and his sister are obviously hurting the most.

Simba often spoke about his sister, Val, and his love for her.

She broke her silence to Drum magazine, saying the family is struggling. "This is so difficult for all of us. My mother is distraught and my father is trying to stay busy so that he doesn't think about it all," she said.

Val added that Simba was her biggest cheerleader in life and that she really misses him. "Simba encourage me in everything I did. He was my biggest cheerleader and he was the only person I allowed to see me at my athletics races. He would be standing there at the end of the lane cheering me on. We really miss him," she said.

*Picture: Facebook