Wouter is awake and family is united with lost dog after accident
Calvin the dog was found after seven days.
LEANDRA – Wouter Swanepoel (11) opened his eyes for the first time on Monday, 11 December after he was in a serious condition in Randfontein Private Hospital.
He was involved in an accident near the N17 Leandra Tollgate on 2 December.
Wouter sustained head injuries, hurt his back and had a punctured lung and was in an induced coma until Monday.
“I just received the news that Wouter is awake,” said Mr Paul English, Wouter’s mother, Ms Chantel Swanepoel’s, boyfriend.
Wouter was with his mother in a bakkie when the accident happend and their family dog, Calvin, was also with them.
According to Mr English, Ms Swanepoel was trying to overtake a vehicle driving in the yellow line.
The vehicle suddenly changed lanes and drove in front of her.
She swerved out and collided with another vehicle.
The other vehicle drove off after the accident.
Wouter had to be airlifted to Randfontein Private Hospital.
Ms Swanepoel was taken to Evander Hospital first, but her family paid for her to go to a private hospital in Boksburg. She injured an ankle and fractured both legs. She had an operation on her ankle on 11 December.
Calvin ran away after the accident and went missing.
Members of Sector 1 Policing Forum and the Facebook group “Secunda Verlore Diere”, organised an airplane on 8 December to look for Calvin.
Mr Riaan Kamffer sponsored his airplane and members of the forum searched in their vehicles in the area where the accident happened.
Mr Garth Calitz of Sector 1 was with the pilot, Mr Roland van Standen, in the airplane and said they saw Calvin from the air, but could not turn the airplane around.
“We returned to that area where we spotted him on Saturday and Sunday,” said Mr Calitz.
He contacted Mr English on Sunday and asked him if he wanted to join the search.
“We searched a farm about 1.5 to 2km from the accident scene and I saw Calvin.
“At first he did not recognise me, but when he did, he ran and jumped into my arms. I was driving with Chantel’s car and when he saw her car, he ran to the car and jumped inside.”
Mr English thanked everyone who helped at the accident scene and the public who helped afterwards to search for Calvin.
He thanked Langamed, Sector 1 and Mr Calitz and Dr Bosch who examined Calvin.
Calvin had a hole in his head and bruises and lost a bit of weight.
For free daily local news in the South, visit our sister newspapers Highvelder, Standerton Advertiser
For more news and interesting articles, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram
