“A Sacrifice Worth Making”: Stilbaai Farmer Loses Wife and Son While Working Abroad

• A South African farmer working thousands of kilometres from home in the United States lost two of the people closest to him within the space of less than a year
• He had taken up farm work abroad to provide a better life for his family back in the Western Cape, staying connected through regular video calls
• The story has left many South Africans heartbroken, with some sharing their own experiences of coping with loss and life-changing distance

A South African farmer's story of sacrifice and heartbreak has touched people across the country after @youmagazinesa shared his family's journey on Instagram.

Johann Claassen had been working on a farm in Dalhart, Texas, roughly 15,000 kilometres from his partner Marietha Rheeder and their 12-year-old son Liam, who were living in Stilbaai in the Western Cape. The page posted the story on 29 June 2026, alongside a photo of Marietha and Liam on the beach, saying:

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"It's definitely not easy working in a foreign land thousands of kilometres from home, but Johann Claassen knew it was a sacrifice worth making because he wanted to give his family the best possible life. It was always a comfort to know that his partner, Marietha Rheeder, and their 12-year-old son, Liam, were just a video call away. But now those calls have stopped."

Johann had made the difficult decision to work abroad to provide for his family, staying connected to Liam and Marietha through video calls whenever he could.

But in under a year, his world changed completely. Liam passed away, and nine months later, Marietha lost her battle with cancer, all while Johann was working on the other side of the world to give them a better future.

Why so many SA farmers work in the US

South African farmers have opted to work on American farms in recent years, largely through the H-2A visa programme.

The visa allows US farmers to bring in foreign workers when local labour falls short. South Africans are especially sought after because of their experience with major farming equipment and their reputation for reliability in the field.

With farming opportunities shrinking back home, thousands of South Africans now take up this kind of seasonal work every year, with the country ranking as the second-largest source of H-2A workers after Mexico.

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See the Instagram story below:

Mzansi mourns with grieving father

The story on the Instagram page left people in the comments deeply moved:

@lestieoutofafrica wrote:

"What happened 😢🙏💔"

@ernest_nathi_mdajolwa said:

"This is such a sad story💔💔🫣🫣"

@angeline_mclagan_ wrote:

"💔💔💔"

@wannadavidmichael shared:

"😢😢😢"

@gotupthismorning_blessed said:

"Very tragic and so sad 😭"

@swank_za said:

"Tragic."

@mypoppieskat shared:

"This can be a result of shock and sudden change on their systems. In my first year of working abroad, I got so sick I nearly died, and the African lady in church had crippling depression. The sudden change can feel like you lost a loved one, my Dr said."

More on South Africans making a life abroad

• Briefly News recently reported on a young South African boy whose gaming talent earned him a spot on the world stage in the United States, though his family now needs help getting him there.
• A South African man's honest reaction to a quiet American town had viewers hooked, especially once they realised where exactly he was standing.
• One proud South African living in the US brought a piece of home to his new surroundings in a way that had Mzansi in stitches.

Source: Briefly News