After five surgeries to repair the damage caused to his right leg and knee after he was struck by an alleged drunk driver while cycling on Glencairn Main Road, Dewald van der Westhuizen says his life has changed forever.
Also read: Cyclist faces long journey to recovery after hit and run in Simon’s Town
As per News24, the impact caused Van der Westhuizen’s right leg to undergo a ‘degloving,’ wherein the top layers of skin and tissue were torn away from the underlying muscle, connective tissue, or bone.
Although ‘grateful and happy’ to have finally been discharged after a month-long hospital stay, the 26-year-old says he is still unable to walk with both legs.
‘I’m learning to be mobile again. I’m still on crutches and moving around the house as slowly and as often as possible to get some movement in my right leg,’ he told News24.
‘It’s been quite the experience having to adjust to the new normal after going through what I went through. But I’m taking each day as it comes.’
The incident occurred at around 5am on 21 December, when Van der Westhuizen and his coach were cycling in Glencairn when an alleged drunk driver crashed into them.
‘I don’t remember much about the impact, but I do recall that when I was knocked to the pavement, my right leg was crossed over onto the other leg with quite a lot of blood coming from it. An ambulance arrived, and I was loaded inside.’
‘I remember they gave me so many painkillers to numb the pain till I got to Vincent Pallotti Hospital that morning, where I underwent my first surgery at around 5pm that day.’
He said the doctors believed that he would make a full recovery.
‘There was a lot of pain, but the medication I was given really helped. I remember the doctor telling me that had I gone to another hospital, my leg [might have been] amputated. I’m extremely happy that wasn’t the case.’
He also viewed the CCTV footage of the incident.
‘There were mixed emotions seeing what everyone had been seeing. If I look at the speed at which the car was coming, there was no way he wasn’t going to knock into us.’
Van der Westhuizen started cycling as a hobby in November and was preparing to participate in a fitness event in April.
‘Every day has its challenges. I’ve had to be confined to my bed every day when I was in hospital. The painkillers made it a bit easy when I had to roll over in bed to have myself washed because I couldn’t put pressure on my leg. That was quite challenging.’
‘This has really been quite an experience. It’s not something I saw coming, but I suppose this is my life right now, and I’m learning to deal with it day by day.’
The medical aid bill incurred during the whole ordeal amounted to more than R700 000 for the duration of his hospital stay, although he says paying for medical aid was a ‘small price to pay’, considering that he still has both his legs.
The alleged drunk driver, Garth Pasha, is an able seaman in the South African Navy. He was arrested shortly after on charges of reckless and negligent driving, driving under the influence of alcohol, and attempted murder.
He was released on R5 000 bail in the Simon’s Town Magistrate’s Court.
However, his licence has been suspended and he has been instructed not to drive a motor vehicle for the duration of the case. He was subsequently suspended with pay from the navy.
‘The next course of action will be determined only when all legal proceedings are completed,’ says Commander Theo Mabina, navy spokesperson.
Van der Westhuizen adds that Pasha has not apologised to him yet. ‘I think a simple apology would have been welcomed. My life has changed completely; it’s going to take a very long time for me to get back to where I was before I got injured.’
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Picture: @Ant_I_R_Legend / X