Durban - Selfless, passionate and brave, were some of the words used to describe community hero Vicky Govender, who dedicated his life to saving others, right until his last breath.
Hundreds of mourners gathered on Sunday to pay their last respects to the beloved ER24 paramedic who died after a rescue mission turned horribly wrong.
Govender, 55, from Merebank, and his ambulance partner Tracy Bederson, both stationed at ER24 Highway, were on their way to assist victims of the Durban floods last Tuesday when their vehicle overturned on the N2.
The father of three, who sustained injuries to his neck and back, died in hospital on Friday.
Bederson suffered a broken arm.
“We crewed together, we were always joking. When we went to an accident scene we knew he would always have our back,” said Govender’s colleague and close friend, Derrick Banks.
“He was the type of guy anyone could rely on. He always had a smile on his face and always made things better. He was always a yes man. It is a big loss to us and to the Merebank community.”
Banks vowed to continue to support and pray for Govender’s wife Nancy and his three children, Tasha, Tanya and Mershin.
Govender’s niece, Daphne Naidoo, 27, who lives in Johannesburg, described her uncle as a “selfless hero”.
“He was involved in lots of charity drives and played an active role in the local Tamil society and school governing body.
“He just recently returned from a trip to Botswana where he visited several temples. People may think that his work as a paramedic reflected who he was, but he was so much more than that.
“He was always there for his family. If someone needed him, he would be there at a drop of a hat.”