For 14-year-old Siyabonga Ntuli from Centurion, his dog Sky was more than just a pet – he was his closest companion.

On Tuesday morning, tragedy struck when Sky slipped through a hole in the family’s fence and ran after Siyabonga and his mother, Georgina, as they walked to the bus stop for school.

In a heartbreaking moment, the loyal dog was hit by a car and killed, leaving the autistic teen devastated by the sudden loss of his best friend.

Local paramedics initially responded to what was reported as a car accident, only to arrive and find a distraught Siyabonga holding his beloved Sky.

According to Emergency Medical Solutions spokesperson Dean Slater, medics immediately jumped into action, giving the injured dog urgent medical attention before rushing both Siyabonga and Sky to the Bakenkop Veterinary Clinic.

“We responded to a report of a car accident on the Old Johannesburg Road near the Air Force Base. When I arrived on scene, it was established that only the dog had sustained injuries.

“We assessed the dog and started treating emergency care for him immediately and stabilised him.”

Despite their efforts, the loyal pet could not be saved.

“Siyabonga is not ok, he is still very much traumatised,” his mother Georgina said softly.

She explained that her son, who is autistic, has always found comfort in animals and that Sky had been his constant companion.

The pair were inseparable, with Sky offering Siyabonga a sense of calm, routine and unconditional love that made the world easier to navigate.

The Ntuli family would have celebrated Sky’s 2nd birthday on November 23.

Trauma counselling was being arranged for Siyabonga on Tuesday afternoon.

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