Mother of 2 dies after being struck by taxi during Soweto Marathon
Pretoria runner Dezirée du Plessis has died in hospital after being hit by a taxi during last month’s Soweto Marathon.
Dezirée du Plessis, a 45-year-old runner who was hit by a taxi during the Soweto Marathon last month, has died in hospital.
According to The Citizen, Du Plessis, a mother of two from Pretoria, was struck by a vehicle during the annual race on November 29 and underwent emergency surgery for intracranial haemorrhage (bleeding on the brain).
She was unable to recover and her sister Marijke Miller confirmed this morning that she had passed away.
“Dezzi breathed her last breath this morning and completed her race. She fought to the end but went soft and peaceful,” Miller posted on Facebook.
Fundraising efforts
With Du Plessis in critical condition, a BackaBuddy campaign had been launched, raising over R330 000 to help cover her medical costs.
A fun run had been organised at the Run-A-Way store in Pretoria tomorrow to raise money for Du Plessis. Though she passed away a day before the event, the run is still expected to take place in her memory.
Driver arrested
The driver of the taxi that hit Du Plessis, allegedly suspected of driving under the influence and ignoring metro police officers who had denied him access to the marathon route, has been arrested for reckless and negligent driving.
Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel.
Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal.
