Once we had finished in Cape Town it was time to make our way back to Botswana for the start of a new term. Although I was sad the travels were over I was excited for the start of a new challenge. We made our way back to Maun via Namibia, it was a nice feeling to come back into Botswana. Just like I was returning to home, I guess it shows how much I'd settled in from the first three months.
After a couple of days finding our feet in Maun it was time to round up the Bana Ba Metsi Boy's and make the 6 hour journey up to our Project. Everything seemed normal, nothing was telling me that the day could end so badly, the only worrys we had were how 40 or so boys would behave for 6 hours couped up in a 5 ton truck.
The next part of this post may be quite graphic so you can decide for yourself if you wish to read on.
We took three cars from Maun up to the Project, the 5 ton truck, 3 ton truck and the land rover. Tim and Justus took the 3 ton truck whilst me and Paul took the Land Rover. At first I was glad about this as I knew it would mean we would arrive long before the others as the Land Rover is obviously quicker. I drove the first three hours before handing over to Paul to complete the journey. Whilst I'd been driving I hadn't really paid much attention to how the landscape had changed, as it is rain season the grass has grown so much on the side of the road that it is almost impossible to spot any wildlife, which there is alot of. This was our major downfall.
As we were driving, out of nowhere a cow walked into the middle of the road, there was no way we could of seen it and no way that Paul could have avoided it. I braced myself as best as I could before we hit the cow but unfortunately Land Rovers aren't really built for hitting large animals. Paul tried his best to keep the car under control but the car had already started to roll. At this point I blacked out, when I came to, which must of been moments later I was lying on the road, I'm still not sure if I went through the passenger window or the windscreen. Either way I was lying on the road and as I looked up I could see the Land Rover tilting towards me, I knew it was going to fall. I brang my knees up to try and roll backwards but it was already to late. It was actually very fortunate that I did bring my knees up as they smashed through the small glass window at the back of the Land Rover, If I hadn't of done this I probably would have lost my legs. Small mercies, but I was still stuck and being crushed by the Land Rover.
At this point I was screaming for help, but in the back of my mind I wondered if it was worth it, I assumed everyone else in the car must have been in just as bad a state as I was. To my suprise they all managed to escape from the car with only cuts and bruises. But we were still left with the problem of me being crushed by a Land Rover. They tryed to lift it, and everytime they did it allowed me to gasp tiny lungfulls of air, but I knew if help didn't arrive soon it would be game over, at the time I was almost positive that I wasnt going to make it out. Everytime I was losing conciousnes I had Paul screaming at me to wake up, can't thank him enough really, he saved my life.
I find it strange when I think about it, whenever you here about near death experiences you always here about "life flashing before your eyes". I didn't have any of that, I could feel myself starting to fade but I still had this voice niggling at me that I had to try something, this was the last way I wanted to go.
It couldn't of been more than a minute after this voice started that I heard cars pulling up, I knew this was my last chance and to my good fortune there were then plenty more people to help try and lift the Land Rover, at first it was just a mad dash of people all trying to be the worlds strongest man but between me and paul we managed to co-ordinate everyone to lift at the same time, on the second attempt I was pulled free. I can't describe the feeling of getting pulled from the wreck when moments before I was sure it wasn't going to happen. It took 1 hour for the first ambulance to arrive, and another 3 to get back to the nearest hospital, all without any pain killers.
Two medi-evacs later and I was in Johanesburg in what is without a doubt the best hospital I've seen or been in, Project Trust really do spare no exspense on Insurance. Three or so weeks ago I had surgery to fuse two discs in my lower spine, and rods placed in to keep them from compressing on my spinal cord. Since then I have been walking and I am determined to make a speedy recovery in order to head back to my Project.
You can follow my progress on either mine or my parents Facebook accounts.
The support I've recived since the crash has been overwhelming, I can't thank everyone enough. I'm almost certain I wouldnt have bounced back the way I have done if it wasn't for everyone who has wished me well and has been so supportive.
