Rugby prodigy needs your help

Eduan Fourie has been badly injured, and he and his family need help.

A rising young rugby star, Eduan Fourie, could have been playing at Craven Week these school holidays, but a freak car accident in Melkbosstrand has put him in hospital.

The 17-year-old’s family is appealing to the public to help him get back on his feet.

According to a statement issued by the Good Morning Angels Fund on behalf of his family, the 1,95m tall teen from Pretoria North, who enrolled at Porterville High School in the Boland region after being picked by talent scouts, was crushed by a car while walking on a pavement on Youth Day, Saturday June 16.

The statement said the accident involved two cars, one of which spun and hit him and two other boys, Raylan Theron, 14, and Chris Tosen, 17, next to the road. Raylan died from his injuries.

Eduan’s father, Eduard Fourie, told Jacaranda FM on Wednesday July 6 that the three boys had taken a walk to eat out when the car rammed into them.

Eduan has no medical aid and needs help after sustaining multiple injuries, including seven broken ribs, a smashed jaw and teeth, a dislocated shoulder and damage to his knee and internal organs, according to the Good Morning Angels Fund statement.

According to the statement, his parents have been by his side, while his brother is staying with his grandparents in Pretoria-North.

Travel between Cape Town and Pretoria and accommodation are proving costly for the family.

As Eduan’s road to recovery is likely to be a long one, his former primary school teacher, Sonja Wentzel, wrote to the Good Morning Angels Fund, appealing for help for Eduan and his family.

Mr Fourie told Tabletalk that his son was recovering well from his internal injuries and he had since been discharged from Groote Schuur Hospital but had then been re-admitted on Wednesday July 13 and was due to undergo a knee surgery on Thursday July 28.

“His jaw will need surgery as well. Doctors will only assess the way forward after he has recovered enough from the knee surgery. Still a very long way to go. The wife and I will still be staying on in Cape Town for the duration of his recovery,” he said.

According to Mr Fourie, Chris was discharged from the Somerset Hospital on Sunday June 19 and is now with his mother in Gauteng.

The Good Morning Angels Fund, a registered non-profit company which has a dedicated segment on Jacaranda FM, announced it would help Eduan and his family with R20 000 towards their needs during his recovery.

You can help by donating to the family by contacting Mr Fourie on 082 320 0480.

The provincial Department of Health did not respond to questions by deadline. The Melkbosstrand police referred queries to Table View police who directed us to the provincial police who failed to respond by deadline.