Pomona teen crash victim spends birthday in hospital
He is currently on a waiting list for an operation, which might take up to a month
THE teen biker who was involved in an accident with a bakkie on Pomona Road on February 4, spent his 18th birthday in hospital on February 9.
Henk Moolman was surrounded by friends and family for his big day, who brought him delicious cupcakes, food and cards. His Tembisa Hospital room was made cheerful for him with balloons and other decorations.
For Moolman, having his loved ones with him, helped him forget for a moment of the severe pain he is still in as a result of the injuries he suffered during the crash. His left leg’s femur broke in two places, ripping open the skin. He also suffered a torn right knee. He needs operations done on both his legs, with his right knee needing a skin graft.
What’s even worse is that he is still on a waiting list for his operation, which may take up to a month.
“The hospital told us there was apparently a shortage of operating rooms. The people who have been here earlier are given first priority, so December patients are only getting their operations done now,” his sister, Antoinette, told EXPRESS.
“His doctor told us there could be a slight possibility that he could be operated on this week, so we are keeping our fingers crossed as his right knee even has an infection now.”
Moolman was on his way home to Glen Marais from his school, Oos-Rand Akademie, on the day of the accident. He was riding along Pomona Road behind a van before changing lanes into the right lane to overtake it. The van he was driving behind was turning left into Noah’s Market.
At the same time the bakkie involved in the accident was coming out of Noah’s Market. The driver wanted to turn right into Pomona Road to go in the opposite direction when it hit Henk.
The 18-year-old can’t remember much of what followed after the crash with the bakkie, just that there was a lot of crashing noises. The next thing he knew he was on the ground. His mother and father were called to the scene right after it happened. The rest of his family met him at the hospital.
