Bernard Kapp - his long, painful road to recovery

[Coetzee]

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Bernard Kapp is 17 years old and is one of identical twins. He loves cycling and joined Harmony WP earlier this year. He desperately wanted to take part in the Medihelp Criterium on Saturday, but it was not meant to be?

 

Last Wednesday he and his training buddy, Jacques Janse van Rensburg, were heading home after their training ride when tragic struck. As they were crossing the busy intersection in <?: prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />

Old Oak Road

, opposite the Tygerberg Animal Hospital, a car suddenly stopped in front of him. He lost control of his bike and crashed into the stationary vehicle. It was not a pretty sight.

 

Bernard was very badly injured. He had to be rushed to hospital. A second ambulance had to be called as the first one took too long. He suffered nine fractures to his face, his nose was ripped open and he broke the second vertebra in his neck. He lost his front teeth and his pallet will have to be rebuilt in due course. The fact that he is not paralysed and sustained no injuries to his brain is a miracle.

 

Doctors immediately started working on him and the plastic surgeon put the pieces of his nose together while they he was still in the casualty unit.

 

Bernard was unconscious for three days. His first words when he woke up were: ?Is my bike still OK??

 

This bike is special. The Kapp family was not financially in a position to buy a new or even a second hand bike for Bernard. But with the help of Lourens Calitz, mechanic at Willie Engelbrecht Cycles, he built the bike up himself with parts that he gathered over a period of time. Although in a pretty bad shape after the accident, the bike can be fixed.

 

Bernard is currently lying in the Tygerberg Hospital and will be for the next six weeks. Due to the nature and seriousness of his injuries he will be in traction for two to three months. Only then will the doctors be able to start operating on him.

 

This long and painful process of recovery will keep him out of school for at least five months. But the net effect will be that he will have to repeat grade 11. He and his twin bother are learners at Brackenfell High School.

 

Another harsh reality is fact that the family doesn?t belong to a medical scheme. They will have to pay every medical bill with money that they, at this point in time, simply don?t have.

 

Getting well wishes from cyclists around the country will mean a lot to him. If you would like to wish him a speedy recovery, please post a message on The Hub or send him an e-mail to harmony.wp@mweb.co.za. We will ensure that he gets every single one of them.

 

And for the rest of us, please be very careful out there and always wear your helmet.

 

Bernard getting support from his girlfriend, Ananda

 

[Marius]

damn, that's hectic! How fast was he going when he hit the Car?

[Spinnekop]

Hey ou maat.

 

GOOD LUCK on the recovery. 

[RaceChick]

Everything of the best. We wish you a speedy recovery.

 

Can't we start a fund to pay for some of his medical bills?

[slowpoke]

guys, can we maybe do a Hubbers ride to help this kid out??? I'm willing to bake a cake and auction it off (slice by slice or whatever)

 

for what it's worth... i'm not gonna race again so i don't need a second set of wheels and i won't die without whatever money i'd get for them. they aren't the greatest out there (but they are 100% functional as amateur can testify) - Shimano WH 540's, no tyres - either if Bernard needs new wheels (i'll make a plan to get them down to CT) or if they can be autioned off they are available - Coetzee, please advise.

 

[Azonic]

Depending on his size, I have an old carbon/yellow Look frame and fork. Can gladly donate to him if need be.

 

If someone sets up a fund I'd also contribute to that.

 

 

[No Name]

He is a pure cyclist!! Asking if his bike is ok. . My heart goes out to this kid. I will check in my closet what i have that I can donate!!

[shaunh]

All the very Best to Bernard and his family!!

 

Wishing you a speedy recovery boet!!!

 

[The Pirate]

I pray for a quick recovery for you to. I was in the hospital for more than 2 weeks as well last year and it is not nice lying on your back the whole time, it is very fustrating. Hope it goes well with your operation as well. God speed !

[quinton]

Life is sad to see how those that are really in need just get set back more and more...

[ewep]

Eina, sterkte ouboet, get well soon!!!!

[idrive]

No medical aid .... this leads to an area where CSA could do something to prevent this type of scenario.

 

Would it not be possible for some sort of accident insurance to be added to our license premiums.

 

I'm sure R20 or R50 would be affordable to all of us. The bargaining power of CSA must be huge so a good deal could be negotiated with a medical aid/ins company.

 

Perhaps make it that riders are covered whenever they are riding in club colours, not just races.

 

Any ideas ................

idrive2008-05-22 08:44:58

[mbaymike]

Prayers and best wishes to you friend.....I will also be able to contribute to a fund if there is one.  Good Luck and get well soon!!!

[Poison Ivy]

If someone sets up a fund I'd also contribute to that.

 

Coetzee, I know things are a bit hectic at the moment, but maybe we can ask our club "bankman" to set up a bank account. I'd love to run with a campaign to raise funds as soon as we have a bank account nr. I'll try and get as much interest as possible in order to raise some much needed funds.

 

We can have donation-list set up on the Hub as well. And I'll also do the bake/sell/slice thing as Slowpoke said.

 

Please let me know what you think?  Nothing is impossible !!

 

 

 

 

 

[Call Me Crazy]

Depending on the size of the bike, I have a Giant OCR3 2008 and an indoor trainer to donate. Can somebody maybe help out with transporting it to Cape Town?

 

 

Call Me Crazy2008-05-22 13:16:50

[FanieFiets]

Hel, good luck....hoop hy maak 'n speedy recovery.