Kgomotso
On the 7th Aug 2010, I was driving from my Mom’s place back to my house. It was inside the suburb, so we must have been driving about 60km/h or less. I just drove off from the robot when I saw a car in the opposite direction, in my lane. There were two lanes in the direction I was going, two lanes in the opposite direction and painted islands in between the lanes. I was in the left lane, but this driver somehow managed to cross two lanes from his side, all the way to my side. I hooted, flashed my lights and when that did not work, I changed lanes, but he changed lanes as well. I went back to the left lane, he came back to the left lane as well. Unfortunately he was speeding and all I was able to do is get my car into first gear.
The next time I woke up was Wednesday in ICU. The first question I asked of course was, “are my kids alive” and when they said yes, I said “Please, I have to see them”. I spent seven more days in ICU and the entire time I was convinced I would never see with my left eye again, and maybe I will not walk. My kids were discharged 2 days after the accident. I stayed for two more weeks, while doctors were in consultation on how to reconstruct my face. All my bones, teeth and the left hand side of my jaw, had been broken. So much, that the first time I saw myself in the mirror, I did not recognise myself. A month later when I went back home and saw the car (what was left of it), I thought only God knows how He got me and my kids out of that car. I am told that the couple that was driving behind us, helped my children and called my mother. I am also told by my mother that this 18 year old boy that was driving the other car was so drunk, he could not even remember his address. The sad thing is that me and my family have gone through so much and he was not injured at all, except a bleeding wrist.
A year later, he has not had a decency to call and say ‘I am sorry’. I pray that he learnt to be responsible. I was lucky, I was blessed, the next driver might not be. Please drink responsibly.
