Local’s back and neck fractured in north crash
The community of the north taking hands to raise funds for a local businessman and upcoming farmer was injured in a crash earlier this week.
A farmer from the Apiesrivier Valley in the north of Pretoria was rushed to hospital in a serious condition on 5 May after a collision with another vehicle.
Theo Brits was travelling in his father’s bakkie on Tuesday morning when he and another vehicle collided at an intersection on Lavender Road and the R101, near the Casbah roadhouse.
Brits was initially taken to Steve Biko hospital but was transferred to the Pretoria East hospital after an anonymous donation by a good Samaritan.
At the Pretoria East hospital, Brits underwent a series of tests that showed he had suffered a serious neck and back injury in the accident.
Brits has a fractured neck vertebra and two neck vertebrae were badly damaged.
His back vertebrae were also injured.
Brits would be operated on by a neurosurgeon at the hospital as early as next week to repair his neck.
One of his damaged vertebrae would be removed, after which screws would be placed in his back.
The back operation will, however, only take place once Brits’ neck has healed and he is strong enough to lie on his stomach for the surgery.
As if his medical condition was not enough to worry about, his property in the Apiesrivier area was also targeted by criminals while he was recovering in hospital.
“On Wednesday night, his property was broken into while his wife and two children were at home. Their solar panels were stolen which left them without power,” said Du Plessis.
Du Plessis, a friend of Brits, has since provided guards to help patrol the property while his friend was still recovering in hospital.
A fundraiser has also been launched by Brits’ friends to help the family.
“The money raised will go towards the medical bills and also to help secure his property while he is not home,” said Du Plessis.
“The fence, which was damaged when his property was broken into, needs to be repaired and an alarm needs to be installed.”
It was estimated that Brits’ medical costs, rehabilitation and adjusting his house to make it wheelchair friendly would cost about R1 000 000.
A Facebook page, Theo Brits Hulp Fonds, has been opened to help raise funds and to provide updates on his recovery.
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