Fundraiser held for car-accident victim

AN Alberton man has set up a fundraiser for his uncle who was in a serious car accident and needs funds urgently for hospital bills.

On Tuesday, May 10, around 18:00, Alzira Gouveia (victim’s wife) phoned her husband Russell (victim), but to her horror, instead of hearing her husband’s voice, it was that of a frantic woman, a witness to a car accident.

According to witnesses, it is believed that Russell experienced a blackout of some sorts, which caused him to lose control of the vehicle, hit a wall head on, and proceeded to ramp over a fence and down an embankment.

Two family friends who witnessed the accident stopped and managed to get through to the Life Fourways Hospital.

Paramedics arrived on the scene and struggled for close to two hours to free Russell from the wreckage, having to cut off the roof of the vehicle to gain access to him.

Upon evaluation by the paramedics, Russell appeared to be in a critical condition with multiple exposed fractures and breaks to the legs and lower spine, bad bruising to the lungs and extremities, and severe blood loss.

Russell was then rushed across the road to Fourways Life Hospital, where the doctors stabilised him, and made sure he had the adequate amount of blood and fluids in his body, which took over six hours.

Not having medical aid, family and doctors searched for a bed at a state facility, but there were none, and in the interim the doctor had warned that Russell needed surgery urgently.

The family made the decision to go ahead with the operation and although the operation was a relative success, the medical bills are piling up.

Julio Gouveia from Alberton decided to set up a fundraiser for his beloved uncle to help him get back on his feet.

The fundraiser will be held at the Benoni Church Hall (54 Great North Road) on Saturday, June 4, from 18:30 for 19:00 at a cost of R250 per person and will include food and entertainment with a cash bar available.

Anyone who would like some more information or to RSVP, please contact Julio on 078 054 0001 or Chantal on 082 223 2789.