Teen almost crippled after ‘dirty tackle’
A simple game of rugby turned catastrophic when a 15-year-old boy was very nearly paralysed after a 'dirty tackle'.
A simple game of rugby turned catastrophic when a 15-year-old boy was very nearly paralysed after a ‘dirty tackle’.
Estiaan Gouws sustained a serious neck injury, fracturing his C6 and 7 vertebrae, while playing rugby with friends at Newcastle Swimming Pool.
Just after noon on Friday, January 9, Estiaan’s father, Christo received a phone call he will never forget.
One of the teen’s friends phoned Mr Gouws, and told him Estiaan had been injured. He rushed to the swimming pool and found Estiaan lying on the ground, unable to move for the pain.
Apparently Estiaan had stood up after the tackle, but immediately lay down again.
He managed to walk with his father to the car, whereupon Mr Gouws wrapped a rolled-up towel around Estiaan’s neck to offer support and to prevent him from moving his neck.
The youngster was rushed to Mediclinic Newcastle, where an X-ray revealed the extent of the damage. He was transferred to Netcare Unitas Hospital in Centurion, where he underwent an operation to have the fractured vertebrae fused.
While Mr Gouws understands that the injury could have happened anywhere at any time, and that boys will be boys, the family is angered by the fact that the lifeguard on duty allegedly made no attempt to assist Estiaan.
“One of the boys told me that the lifeguard had apparently said ‘I don’t have time, send the injured person to me’,” said Mr Gouws.
The family feels the lifeguard should have made at least some attempt to assist Estiaan, or to call an ambulance.
“Estiaan was very lucky,” said Mr Gouws. “The doctor at Unitas told us if the fracture had been one millimetre to the side, he would have been paralysed.”
Although social media was abuzz with allegations surrounding the incident, the situation has now calmed. Estiaan will return to school, but cannot carry a schoolbag for some months. His parents have acquired a tablet on which he can download his textbooks.
“We expected the lifeguard to at least have offered some assistance,” said Mr Gouws. “We feel he shirked his responsibility as the person supervising the activities at the pool.”
Reportedly, the boys were told that no contact sport was allowed on the premises, and were instructed to play further away from the cement paving slabs.
“The rehabilitation process will continue for at least a year,” said Mr Gouws. “At this point we understand it was an accident, and it could have been much worse.”
The Director of Parks, Cemeteries and Recreation, Vish Govender, declined to comment on questions regarding the actions of the lifeguard and if minimum requirements would permit a lifeguard to offer first aid in the case of a neck injury.
He said the Newcastle Municipality would provide comment on the incident after meeting with Estiaan and his parents.
