Zack Fourie (29) is recovering from serious injuries after the crash that claimed the life of his friend and colleague, Jaco ‘Jakkals’ Nel, on the old Witbank road (R555) outside Middelburg.

The two men were travelling back to Pretoria after installing air conditioning at Middelburg Mall when their bakkie was involved in a collision shortly before 17:00 on July 6.

Four people died in the crash, including Jaco, who was driving the bakkie.

Zack was seriously injured and taken to Life Midmed Hospital. He suffered a traumatic brain injury, a fractured skull that required 19 stitches, broken ribs and injuries around his right eye. Part of his eyebrow was torn down to the bone.

He has since been discharged from hospital and is recovering at his uncle’s farm near Hendrina while attending follow-up appointments with specialists, including an eye specialist.

Survivor left with no memory of collision

Zack has very little memory of the crash. He recalls getting into the bakkie and travelling, and also vaguely remembers taking a work call.

His next clear memory is waking up in hospital.

Police visited him in hospital as part of the investigation, but Zack could not give them any information about the collision because he simply couldn’t remember what happened.

The lack of answers has been difficult to deal with, particularly while he is also trying to process Jaco’s death. The two men had worked together for about eight months, but Zack said their relationship quickly became much more than that of colleagues.

“Jaco was my mentor,” he said.

He remembers Jaco as a hardworking man who always gave his best, whether he was on the job or taking a break. “He was always someone who worked hard and never complained. He was the kind of person who could fix anything.”

Family offers support during long recovery

Zack is also a father to 14-month-old Viola Emberly Fourie.

His injuries kept him away from his home in Pretoria, where his wife, Bronwyn Marize Chamberlain, and their young daughter had to wait for him to heal enough before returning.

Amid the uncertainty, he said the support he has received from his family, his wife, his employer and people around him has helped him through the difficult time.

He now faces the long road to recovery while trying to piece together what happened on the R555 that afternoon.

And while Zack cannot remember the crash itself, he remembers the person who was beside him.

“Jaco was my friend. He had a big influence on me and taught me many things,” he said.

The memories of his friend, he said, are something he will carry with him as he recovers.