“It is amazing to know that the rugby team I support has done their part in supporting my son as well.”
These are the words of Hercules Hendricks, proud father of 7-year-old Vihano Bester, who underwent reconstructive surgery at the age of three.
On Wednesday, Stormers teammates Seabelo Senatla and Jaco Coetzee paid a surprise visit to Oklahoma Street Primary School, where Vihano is a Grade 1 pupil.
In 1976, the Western Province rugby team achieved the unthinkable at a packed Newlands stadium when they beat the touring All Blacks 12-11. Forty-two years later, Vihano’s day was brightened as the Stormers' heroes visited his school to celebrate him do something amazing. Smile!
Through the Vodacom Tries for Smiles campaign, the Vodacom Foundation donated R3 000 for every try scored by a South African team in this year’s Vodacom Super Rugby competition to the Smile Foundation.
The funds raised through Tries4Smiles helps the Smile Foundation to perform corrective surgeries on children born with facial anomalies. This gives children such as Vihano, who endured facial reconstructive surgery for hours, a smile.
Hercules said he was overwhelmed by the support from the Smile Foundation and the #TriesForSmiles campaign.
On Wednesday, Stormers teammates Seabelo Senatla and Jaco Coetzee paid a surprise visit to Oklahoma Street Primary School, where 7-year-old Vihano Bester, who underwent reconstructive surgery at the age of three, is a Grade 1 pupil. Video: Chevon Booysen
“This is an amazing moment for us as a family. Vihano was really brave when he underwent his three surgeries. Even when he was admitted to hospital, he would make jokes and play in the hospital corridors.
“Since then he has recovered and recuperated really well and this could only have been possible through the great support system he has. We are really happy with him here today,” Hendricks said.
Vihano’s grandmother, Maria Hendricks, said he has been in her care since he was three years old.
“He is such a pleasurable boy. He came to me one day and said ‘Ouma, I also want to play sports like the other kids’, but he understands that he needs to be careful to avoid any rough sports which could cause him injury,” she said.
It’s a moment that was certainly not lost on Stormers flank and Springbok captain Siya Kolisi. “As sportsmen we can be the trailblazers when it comes to enabling a better world for our future generations.”
Vihano and his classmates enjoyed the visit from their favourite sportsmen as the teammates interacted with the Grade 1 class after each of them received a party pack.