Miraculously Given A second Chance

On one of the coldest days of the year so far, it seemed that it was meant to be when bystanders came across the body of a twenty nine year old man hanging from a tree by a rope, with his body partially submerged in the river below, in the small area of Heilige Akker in Potchefstroom.

It is as yet unclear as to whether the bystanders were physically looking for the man, or whether they just happened across him. As soon as they saw him, they activated the emergency services, and then cut him down from the tree. They managed to pull his lifeless body to a nearby island in the middle of the river, as it was more difficult to get to the river bank.

When ER24 paramedics arrived on the scene near Langenhoven street, they had no means to cross the river to the island, so the three of them carried their equipment above their heads and waded across the icy water to where the man was lying. After assessing the man, and trying to manoeuvre around a very limited amount of space, they found that he was not breathing and had no pulse. They immediately started CPR and resuscitation efforts.

Efforts continued for some time, until, miraculously, paramedics found the man's pulse to have returned. They continued manually breathing for the man while Potchefstroom SAPS Rescue Divers assembled their equipment in order for them to bring the man to shore. In amongst these happenings, the man's father had arrived on scene and was an emotional witness to the unfolding events.

The man was secured into the necessary equipment, and was pulled onto the river bank. He was then transported to hospital where Doctors and Nurses will further continue to fight for his life.