By Amin Kef Sesay
David Applefield, who lost his bid for the Democratic nomination for Congress in the United States of America on the 7th July 2020 primary election, died on the 8th July 2020. He was 64. Based on a report Applefield collapsed while exercising and he was pronounced dead at Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank.
David, a journalist and author, had been campaigning for the chance to take on Rep. Christopher Smith (R-Hamilton) in New Jersey’s 4th district. He received about 6% of the vote in a race that was won by Stephanie Schmid.
According to, Dr. Adonis Abboud, the Founder and Chairman of Pikin Bizness, a charitable organization based in Sierra Leone that has been facilitating the treatment of children with heart diseases and other ailments overseas, the late David Applefield was the International Representative for Pikin Bizness and Senior Representative of the “Financial Times” for the past 25 years in Paris.
Adonis Abboud intimated The Calabash Newspaper that David Applefield introduced him to one of the best cardiologists in France, Dr. Alain Deloche who is also co-founder of the famous MEDECINS SANS FRONTIERES (MSF) and Chief Executive Officer of LA CHAÎNE DE L’ESPOIR. He further stated that thanks to the expertise of Dr. Alain Deloche, Pekin Bizness managed to save the lives of so many Sierra Leonean children.
He added that children who had congenital heart diseases would only survive for few months unless they undergo an open-heart surgery to repair their hearts.
“Some of the Sierra Leonean kids who were flown to Paris were lodged in David’s house where his wife Marie and their three children made them feel at home and after the operations took them around Paris and treated them to good meals and Children’s Funfairs,” he said emotionally.
Adonis Abboud further disclosed that David was himself a heart patient at one time.
He explained that among the children saved were Ali Kamara who was 15 years old and today stands as a tall 25 years healthy man, Abubakar Jalloh who was 5 years old is now 20 and Ehizogie Eghobor the six year old son of Kingsley Lingston, who is holding a top UN Media position in New York. According to him, Ehizogie is now 21.
Adonis said another child patient pictured below in the Intensive Care Unit is 6 years old Linda Bangura, an orphan who lost her parents during the country’s rebel war pioneered by the rebel leader, Foday Sankoh. Linda is now 18 and about to enter college.
The Pekin Bizness Founder and Chairman also told The Calabash that several Sierra Leonean journalists benefitted from David ‘s lectures at FBC and went on to reveal how the late man once said in 2007 during a Pikin Bizness function at the British Council that “Sierra Leone has 33 Newspapers but very little News. ”
Adonis Abboud highlighted that he received a message from the eldest son of David Applefield, Ernesto Applefield that he wished to continue his dad’s legacy. According to the son his late father had a massive heart and always helped everyone.
“When Ali was here with us, my father made sure that Ali felt included and as an active member of the family. I would love to quarry on doing his actions and please do not hesitate to reach out to me for anything. I don’t have my father’s knowledge, skills or wisdom but I have the desire to continue to make him proud. Also if you know anyone that spent time with him and liked him, please feel free to share my contact with them,” Ernesto intimated Adonis Abboud.
Dr. Adonis Abboud stated that he in particular and others in general within Pekin Bizness deeply miss the philanthropist and international partner, David Applefield and wished that he will Rest in Perfect Peace.
It could be recalled that Pikin Bizness provided this country with the first Cardio-Sonogram Machine used in the treatment of heart diseases. According to Dr. Adonis Abboud, the $25,000 machine was a gift to Sierra Leone from ‘a good Samaritan’ in the person of Michael Landau – a New York based businessman whose Diamond Group and 5th C Foundation plan to introduce an innovative process for increasing public revenues from gems and improve the social impact of diamonds in Sierra Leone.
