“Bro, I forgot that I was crippled for a while”

Bronson Naude (47) had just finished surfing at St Mike’s when he saw Muzi Fodo (35) sitting in his wheelchair staring at the ocean.

Bronson greeted Muzi and jokingly said to him: “Dude, you should be in the ocean surfing.”

St Mike’s Beach was a special place for Muzi, as two months before his life-changing accident in 2013 which left him paralysed from the chest down, he had jumped into the ocean and saved the life of a child but his uncle unfortunately drowned.

Muzi sat in his wheelchair staring at the ocean more than a 100 times, but not one surfer had ever spoken to him.
Two months later after Bronson and Muzi had exchanged telephone numbers, Muzi gave Bronson a call.

“It was the 10th year anniversary of Muzi’s accident and he was feeling down,” said Bronson.

Bronson runs a surf shop in Manaba and works with former legendary lifesaver, Edwin (Eddie) Lang (48).

“Lock up the shop, we are going surfing!” – Bronson, said to Edwin.

“It was a very spontaneous idea, but life is all about living in the moment,” said Bronson.

They met Muzi down at St Mike’s Beach, and they were blown away at how brave and fearless he was on the rescue board in the waves.

“The time down at the beach with Muzi changed our lives. We don’t complain about anything anymore, or take the little things for granted,” said Bronson.

“Muzi is such an inspiration. We thought we were helping him, but in fact, he changed the way we look at life,” said Bronson.

Bronson said Muzi was having so much fun on the board, and a tearjerker moment for him was when Muzi said: “Bro, I forgot that I was crippled for a while.”

Bronson said he could have never done it without Edwin.
Many Durbanites and locals will know the friendly face of Edwin, who worked as a lifesaver for some 32 years on Durban and South Coast beaches.

Edwin was left shattered when one day his name wasn’t on the lifeguard roster, and was given the only explanation: “You are too old to be a lifeguard.”

“I was stoked! All my skills I had learnt over the years as a lifeguard paid off. To watch Muzi get onto a wave and see the expression of joy on his face was priceless,” said Edwin.

“It was very nerve-wracking for us, but we now have the feel for it, and can’t wait to take Muzi out again,” he said.

For Muzi, he battled to come to grips with his disability after a car accident.
He had two choices, either end his life or live his best life.
Muzi opted for the latter, and now lives every day like it’s his last day.

“My accident taught me a lot and I believe I have accomplished more in a wheelchair,” he said.

Muzi is currently farming in Harding but his dream is to complete his articles to become an advocate. He had finished his law degree at Potchefstroom shortly before his accident. He keeps active and has done a few 10km to 15km races in his wheelchair around the country. He also recently got married to a wonderful woman.

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