Durban - A RADIO presenter’s “miracle dog” saved her life after she was reported missing for hours, and the subsequent missing person’s report, flighted on Facebook post, raised interest in far corners of the globe.
Pictures of Shobha Mohangi, a presenter on Hindvani and a Hindi school teacher, was shared widely across social media pages on Monday evening.
Reaction Unit South Africa posted on social media a report that Mohangi had been missing for hours, after a weekend away.
But Mohangi was scathing in her response to the post – and explained the reason for her disappearance.
She had been on her usual walk along Durban’s promenade with her dog Rani but left her phone at her Tongaat home.
Shobha Mohangi owes her life to Rani, who licked her awake after she passed out.
“When I returned to my car, I lost consciousness and blacked out. I don’t know for how long, but when I woke up, Rani was licking my face,” she said.
The week prior, she was admitted to St Augustine’s hospital due to high-blood pressure and underwent other medical check-ups.
“I must have passed out in the car because I hadn’t eaten. I have a few medical conditions, including being diabetic. But I was divinely protected through it all. I think the love and goodwill of people is what saved me,” she said.
News of her disappearance reached friends and family abroad, and a manhunt for her was already underway while she was in a state of unconsciousness.
“When I came to my senses, I was extremely hungry. Luckily, I had some snacks in my car. Rani saved my life, she’s not a dog but human,” she said.
Mohangi returned home with police and a group of family and friends all concerned about her whereabouts.
“I had received calls from places like Santa Barbara, France, New Zealand, India, and Australia. My dad was a well-known man. I work for the Indian Consulate as a Hindi teacher and I volunteer at Hindvani,” she said.
The radio jock shared her experience on her personal Facebook page, lambasting the first post about her disappearance.
“I’m a very private person, but the missing report was maligned. That report was ugly. It went wild on social media. What irked me was how people drew conclusions without knowing the facts. Some even accused me of trying to gain fame,” she said.
“The message I want to leave after this ordeal is that people should not neglect their health and they must always let someone know their whereabouts.”