Taroe lucky to be alive

The driver of the vehicle which became airborne after colliding with another and taking out a traffic light in the process, is still in hospital with serious injuries.

The driver has been identified as Taroe Roodt, a 24-year-old Harlequins Club rugby player and father of a nine-month-old baby.

On 25 July, Roodt’s vehicle collided with another vehicle at the Van Oord Street and Voortrekker Road intersection causing his vehicle to become airborne due to the impact of the accident.

Initial article: Airborne vehicle takes out traffic light

Mogale City’s Emergency Services and paramedics along members of the local Community Policing Forum were called to the scene where Roodt had to be freed from his wrecked vehicle by the Jaws of Life.

He was airlifted to the Netcare Milpark Hospital in a critical condition and was placed in a induced coma.

Due to the injuries he sustained from the accident, Roodt had to receive reconstructive surgery to the left side of his face which was crushed in the accident after he suffered bleeding to his right side of his brain.

In hospital Roodt also had to undergo an emergency operation after one of his main arteries burst.

The News caught up with Roodt’s mother who says they are taking it one day at a time at this stage.

“It is really a miracle that he is still alive,” Susan Roodt said.

Roodt only started to wake up from the coma recently and had to undergo various operations to construct his face which included the reconstruction of his nerve in his mouth and later the nerve to his eye.

His loved ones are now waiting for the nerves to heal and for the blood on his brain to clear up before they can send him for rehabilitation.

“We are extremely thankful for the excellent service provided by the CPF, paramedics and the emergency personnel on the night of the accident who saved my child’s life. Conrad, Schalk, Trompie, Levi, Godfrey, Jacob, Belinda, Pierre, Jean Pierre are among the amazing people who’s names I can remember who assisted on the night. Without the people on the scene that night, Taroe would have not made it out alive.”

His fiance, Anneke du Bruyn, described the emergency personnel, paramedics and CPF members as guardian angels who supported them in their hour of need.

“I cannot begin to explain what all the support means to us, from friends, family and strangers. I can’t say thank you enough to everyone,” Du Bruyn said.

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