IT is always easy to read and comment on stories about people who survived horrible accidents and lost nearly everything, but people suddenly go quiet when they are asked to step in and help.
Sadly, this seems to be the case with Shanei Norris, a former Albertonian and Hoërskool Dinamika learner whose life changed in a split second when she lost her one-year-old girl and sustained serious injuries during a car accident on March 23.
Just after 7am, Shanei was making her way to baby Reanei’s crèche in Vanderbijlpark. She was driving on the R54 De Villiers road entering an offramp, when a bakkie driver decided at the last minute to take the offramp as well. He drove right in front of her, causing the collision.
Little Reanei was killed on impact and Shanei sustained multiple injuries, including a crushed bone of her lower right leg and a deep cut in her left leg, a broken right arm, punctured liver and pancreas, internal bleeding with a great loss of blood, and swelling of the brain.
She needs better care
Shanei was taken to the Sebokeng Hospital in Vanderbijlpark and is still trying her best to recover there. However, Shanei’s family and friends desperately want her moved to a private hospital, as they say she is not at all receiving good treatment.
“Shanei is in and out of consciousness and cannot fend for herself,” said Annelie Hunter, Shanei’s maternal friend and carer.
“She lies naked in that hall for everyone who passes by to see, because no-one bathes or clothes her – and staff members forbid us to help her. She has to lay in her own dirt because nobody helps her clean herself.
“It also seems that nobody bothers to help feed her, they just put her food on the table beside her even though her arm is in a cast and she can’t reach it. She’s tried eating, but the food ended up all over her bed. They don’t want us to feed her, and visiting hours are sometimes limited to half an hour. They are so strict with us, even though we only try to help her.
Shanei is said to have short-term memory loss and has not yet asked if her child is okay. She does not yet know that little Reanei, her first and only child, has died. Annelie says she thinks Shanei will need the services of a psychiatrist to emotionally prepare her before the news is disclosed to her.
Reanei’s funeral took place on March 29 at the Riverdale Doxa Deo Church.
Shanei has a long, hard road ahead of her; there is no doubting that. What she needs now is love, support and lots of TLC. The first step would be admitting her to a private hospital as soon as possible so that she can get the care and treatment she deserves and get her dignity back.
Shanei’s friends and family are pleading with the community to donate to her trust fund, which can help her move to a private hospital and cover some of her medical expenses.
If you want to make a donation, please email Carina Van Der Walt at cvdwalt@caxton.co.za
Her friends and family are grateful in advance for any donations made.
Also Read:
Giving lots to the people with little
Home for the mentally ill needs help
For free daily local news in the south, visit our sister newspapers Alberton Record, Comaro Chronicle, Southern Courier and Get it Joburg South Magazine.
Remember to visit our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. You can also email our offices on cvdwalt@caxton.co.za, juliem@caxton.co.za or luckyt@caxton.co.za
Add us on WhatsApp today! Comaro Chronicle: 079 427 8074 and Southern Courier: 079 404 5789.
