When the Day familiy moved to Richfield, the population was all white. Concerned that the lack of diversity would be limiting to their children's perspectives on the world, Emily and Whittier Day gladly accepted the opportunity offered by their church to host a high school student from Africa.
Trywell Nyirongo arrived from Malawi in 1961, and lived with the Days while attending Richfield High School for one year. He dreamed of becoming a doctor, and the Day family supported that dream. He attended Waldorf Junior College in Iowa, and finished his undergraduate education at Hiram College in Ohio. He was not accepted into a medical school in the United States. Undaunted, he applied to schools abroad and was accepted, spending a year at a school in Shiraz, Iran before transferring to the university at Ghent, Belgium. He completed his residency at a hospital in St. Paul, then returned to Malawi.
Dr. Nyirongo founded the Kasambala Medical Center in N'ChenaChena, Malawi, which today serves more than 55,000 people. His son, Thomas (named for the Days' son), hopes to follow in his father's footsteps. The Day family has continued to keep in touch with the Nyirongo family.
Publisher: Emily Day; Minnesota Historical Society, used with permission
Date: 1964
