The father of a 7-year-old boy struck by a car last month is facing the traumatic possibility that his son might never walk again.
The father of a 7-year-old boy struck by a car last month is facing the traumatic possibility that his son might never walk again.
The Grade 2 pupil of NV Cewu Primary school has now entered week three at Livingstone Hospital in Port Elizabeth, and his father is concerned that his injuries may lead to social exclusion.
Luyolo Songelwa was hit by a speeding car on Friday 18 October near his Extension 6 home. He was quickly rushed to Settler's Hospital on the same day.
Due to his severe injuries that required highly qualified specialist attenteion, he was transferred to Livingstone Hospital. His father said the doctors were hoping to wait six weeks before they discharge the boy.
The boy is in a critical state, recovering from a broken leg, a shifted collar bone and a twisted knee cap.
"The doctors said it was too early to confirm whether he will walk or not but we're praying for our boy," said his father, Mxolisi Songelwa.
The child's mother, who was working at a local franchise when the accident happened, dropped everything to be at her son's bedside.
Pastor Mzukisi May of Arise and Shine Ministries, neighbour to the Songelwa's, was with Luyolo when the accident happened, as Luyolo is best friends with the Pastor's grandchild.
According to May, he and Luyolo were coming back from walking May's grandson to school. Luyolo insisted on joining them for the walk, although he was booked off school for the day by his mother as he was coming down with flu.
May painted a sad picture of how things unfolded that Friday. He said the Toyota bakkie was speeding when it missed a turn and spiralled out of control all over the road.
"I got confused as to which side I should take because the car was blocking every move we make… When we go right the car would also go right, and when we changed to left, the car would also turn left," he explained. "I decided to stand in the middle of the road while I was anticipating [the driver's]next move so that I can counter-maneuver him.I held the boy with a tight grip and when the bakkie was close I knew exactly where to go."
"I was making a quick jump to the right-hand side holding the boy with my left hand, but unfortunately I slipped and fell down."
He said the bakkie snatched Luyolo from his hand with an iron bull-bar and ran over him, and dragging him along as it ripped through the boundary fences of three houses next to the road.
Luyolo is expected to be released from the hospital around Monday 30 December.
