[Follow UP] Injured older brother saves his younger brother’s life
The only reason the man whose arm was almost amputated in an accident in Hekpoort is alive, is because his brother made a tourniquet for his arm.
The only reason a man is alive after a horrific accident on the R563 in Hekpoort is because his older brother, who was with him in the vehicle at the time of the accident, saved his life.
The seriously injured victim’s youngest brother told the News about what happened on 20 September when the vehicle rolled and came to a standstill on the shoulder of the road.
Read the initial article here: Man’s arm almost amputated when bakkie rolls
It’s believed the vehicle’s tyre clipped the side of the road and caused the vehicle to flip and roll.
“When the dust cleared, the younger of my two older brothers was found lying outside the car. We believe he was thrown out of the vehicle as it rolled. His arm was was hanging by a single piece of flesh,” the youngest brother told the News.
“Our oldest brother was blessedly able to immediately tie a makeshift tourniquet he made from his belt around the top part of the arm, despite having been injured himself .”
The paramedics arrived soon after, stabilised the now critical patient, and had him airlifted to Milpark Hospital.
“At the moment he is stable. His head and neck were injured, several of his ribs were broken, his liver was lacerated and his kidneys were injured. But at least the doctors were able to reattach his arm. Luckily, he has no permanent brain damage.”
The main artery in his arm was severed and parts of his muscles were missing. However, doctors operated on the arm and reconnected all the arteries and were able to save the arm. He’s recovering slowly, but surely.
Photo: Submitted
“Both my brothers were in the vehicle, but only one came close to death. I don’t know how our oldest brother managed to help our other brother, because he himself had injured his back and neck. I just thought how the heck is it possible that one brother is ok, when the other one almost lost his life?”
“Doctors are now weaning our seriously injured brother off some of his medication. He’s still on a ventilator to help him breathe, but he’s stable. Our mother visits him every single day and cannot sleep without doing so.
“We don’t know what would have happened if our older brother had not been with him that day. We’re just so thankful that he’s alive – none of this would have been possible without God’s divine intervention and grace.”
“Our whole family wishes to extend a huge thank you to everyone on scene who assisted, especially all the paramedics, the Netcare Helivac team and Netcare Milpark Hospital for the excellent care that they gave to him.”
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