Dad still in critical condition after accident
"Lampie’s body is so broken, but he fights on like a lion.”
A Pretoria father is still in critical condition in hospital after a serious car accident.
The 35-year-old father, his pregnant wife and their two-year-old daughter were involved in a car crash on the Old Warmbad Road, north of Pretoria, on Saturday morning.
Charmain Wilson Robbertse said her son Lambertus (Lampies), his wife Riekie and their daughter Luzandra were on their way to a doctor’s appointment.
“Riekie had to go for a pregnancy scan.”
The family’s vehicle and another vehicle collided with each other.
“Lampies told Riekie to get down just before the crash. He got the full impact of the crash,” an emotional Charmain told Rekord.
An eyewitness to the accident, Ewald de Beer, said he stopped to help.
“I helped to get the little girl out of the car wreck and held her in my arms and tried to stop the bleeding on her head. The mother was hysterical and the father was just lying there – he couldn’t move,” said De Beer.
The cause of the accident forms part of a police investigation.
READ MORE: Snakebite survivor’s family in horrific accident
Charmain said it is a miracle that Riekie, 36 weeks pregnant, got out of the wreck unscathed.
Her daughter and husband were not so fortunate.
Little Luzandra sustained injuries to her leg and head with a few other lacerations.
“Fortunately she was in her car seat, otherwise it could have been much worse,” said Charmain.
Lambertus suffered severe injuries.
Charmain said some of the injuries he sustained include a broken back, neck, hips and pelvis. He suffered a broken femur and broken pelvic bones as well as a head injury.
He also had internal injuries to his liver, kidneys and bladder.
“Lampie’s body is so broken, but he doesn’t not give up. He keeps on fighting like a lion.”
Lambertus is the father of 15-year-old Mikayla Robbertse who was bitten by a Mozambican spitting cobra in 2011.
Charmain said Mikayla took the news about her father very seriously and was sad that she could not see him after the accident.
The family had a meeting with Lambertus’ doctors on Tuesday afternoon to discuss the extent of his injuries.
“They (the doctors) are slowly starting to take him off all medications that support his heart, because his heart now works on its own. His lungs were bruised and had a slight infection, but by this morning (Tuesday) he was breathing on his own.
“His pelvis was broken in the front and back, but it will recover, as well as the femur. They were able to close his abdomen, and the liver looks good.”
Charmain said Lambertus’ kidney function is still a cause of concern.
“It does not excrete the toxins from his body as it is supposed to do. The possibility exists that he may lose one kidney.”
She said the biggest concern is the swelling on his brain.
“The doctors are monitoring it closely. There is also damage to the cerebellum. They are trying to control the swelling with medication, but will most likely drain it on Thursday.”
Lambertus is in an induced coma and Charmain said the actual extent of the damage will only be determined when he is awake again.
“He is not out of danger yet, but everything sounds positive.”
Charmain said Riekie was still recovering from the emotional trauma of the accident. Luzandra was also discharged from the hospital earlier this week.
“Luzandra laughs and talks, but at times she is very sore,” said Charmain.
She thanks family, friends and Facebook friends for their prayers and continued support.
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