Johannesburg – South Africans have raised over R200 000 for a Cosmo City father who was left paralysed after an armed robbery gone wrong.
In the early hours of September 1, Shadrack Kuchale, 38, was on his way to work when he was attacked and held at gunpoint by criminals.
The situation escalated, however, when the assailants allegedly shot the father of two in the neck, stole his cellphone and dragged him to a nearby ATM, withdrawing R5 000 from his bank account.
Kuchale was left for dead in the street but he experienced more anguish after he was allegedly forced to wait around 12 hours for a bed at a public hospital, while fighting for his life, before he was eventually admitted.
The father’s worst fears were soon realised when a neurosurgeon revealed that the bullet from the attack had entered the highest part of his spine, shattering his spinal cord, and had then travelled to his lung and punctured it.
“Sadly, Shadrack is now completely paralysed from the shoulders down and will remain a quadriplegic for the rest of his life, as no amount of physiotherapy can restore his spinal fluid or movement in his body.
’’He will also need to wear a nappy, as he no longer has control over his bladder and bowel movements,” crowdfunding platform BackaBuddy said in a statement.
To help Kuchale cover his ongoing medical costs and living expenses after this life-changing attack, non-profit organisation The Angel Network launched a crowdfunding campaign on BackaBuddy to lend a helping hand.
“We need your help to give Shadrack and his family a chance to recover from this traumatic and life-altering attack. These criminals don’t even know or care what has happened to him, but we know our Angel Network community does and can make a difference to help them adjust to their new lives,” said Glynne Wolman of The Angel Network.
Actress Gail Mabalane joined in to help raise awareness and funds for Kuchale on her social media platforms, stating that he was a dear friend to her family and had worked for her family’s complex for years.
“I would like to use this opportunity to humbly appeal to anyone for assistance. He and his beautiful family need help,” Mabalane wrote on Instagram.
The funds raised will be administered by the organisation and will be used to give Kuchale quality of life while he and his family come to terms with the life-changing tragedy they have experienced. The money raised will be for rent, food, school fees for the children, trauma counselling for the family, nursing care, physiotherapy and medication.
By yesterday, R236 748.72 had been raised, in just five days, surpassing the initial fundraising target of R200 000.
The Angel Network added yesterday that it was confirmed that Kuchale would need ongoing physiotherapy for the rest of his life and the family still needed specific items for his therapy, including ankle weights, a standing frame, physio balls, a sliding board and a medicine ball.
@Chulu_M
The Star