Who was Dr Ephraim Otieno? UOFL and more mourn beloved Kentucky doctor killed in crash

Dr Ephraim Otieno, known within the Kentucky community for his medical expertise and kindness, passed away on December 8. Dr Otieno died after he met with a road accident in Louisville, Kentucky. The department of biology at his alma mater, University of Louisville (UOFL), mourned his passing through an online post.

Dr Ephraim Otieno graduated from UOFL with a bachelor of science degree, as per the tribute post by the university. After pursuing his undergraduate education, Dr Otieno went on to further pursue his education in the same university. As per the UOFL tribute, for his post graduation studies, Dr Otieno pursued a degree from the school of medicine at the university.

Ever since the news of Dr Otieno’s passing became public, numerous tributes highlighting his short but remarkable life have been shared by his family and the organizations that he had been associated with.

The post shared by UOFL on social media highlighted the doctor’s academic excellence. The tribute post stated,

“It pains us to share the extremely sad news of the passing of Ephraim Otieno, MD, who died yesterday following a traffic accident. He received his BS in Biology from UOFL in May 2020 and his MD degree from the UOFL School of Medicine. He was in the first year of Internal Medicine Residency at UOFL Hospital when he passed away. While a UOFL undergraduate he was a Porter Scholar and MLK Jr. Scholar, a member of Phi Delta Epsilon, NAACP, and Sigma Alpha Epsilon, and Vice President of LSAMP. He also did bioinformatics-related research in Dr Running’s lab over 3 semesters and presented his work at the Kentucky Academy of Science conference in 2019.”

A portrait of Dr Ephraim Otieno’s personality as per the tributes shared by his loved ones

It is important to state here that Dr Ephraim Otieno was born and brought up in a Kenyan-American household, an experience that had a significant impact on his professional and personal attitude. A tribute post shared by his family emphasizes this aspect of Dr Otieno’s kind and insightful personality.

The tribute post shared by Dr Otieno’s family also provides further details about his family roots, a story which exemplifies his hardworking and dedicated attitude towards excelling and helping others. The post shared by his family reads,

“As a brother to his two siblings, Ephraim was a role model and a supportive coach. His siblings and friends admired his hard work, determination, and excellence in all he did. To his parents, he was a son to be proud of. He pursued his personal and professional ambitions with less supervision and was joyful in the journey. He brought honor and respect to the entire Otieno family.”

While emphasizing his roots, the tribute post added,

“As a child growing up in an African immigrant household, Ephraim never forgot where he came from. He was proud of his Kenyan American heritage and shared his travel stories with his teachers and friends. Ephraim knew no strangers. He was known for his iconic smile and laughter that brightened every room he entered. At the University of Louisville Hospital, his patients and team members remember him for his jovial character and impeccable bedside manners. He leaves behind precious memories that will be cherished for a lifetime. May his soul rest in eternal peace. Amen.”

Dr Otieno’s basketball coach from his high school years also shared an emotionally poignant post. The particular post highlighted the Dr Otieno’s talented and multifaceted personality. The post read,

“Katrina and I, and our entire family, are deeply saddened by the loss of Ephraim Otieno.  Ephraim was a former student and player of mine, but we also considered him family. I spoke with him often and he always made it a point to visit our home anytime he was in town.  It was an absolute honor to have coached him and see him become Model High School’s all-time leading scorer.”

The post also reflected on the ways in which Dr Otieno cared for others, and continued,

“Ephraim was a true leader on and off the court. He was a doctor at the University of Louisville Medical Center, and had dedicated his life to helping others, just as he did as a teammate, friend, son, and brother. Ephraim, you will be deeply missed. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Otieno family.”

As per the obituary post shared by his family on the website of the funeral home Oldham Roberts and Powell, Dr Ephraim Otieno’s funeral services will be held on December 13, 2025.