‘Tarzan’ lifts team to victory
“Jesse is a hero. He gave his kidney to his sister and made a recovery before coming back and playing like a machine,” said Malcolm Taylor.
When Benoni Northerns Storm back-rower Jesse Bekker was sent tumbling to the ground by Nigel prop Julian Myburgh in the first half of their Valke Merlin League final on September 14, a brief of moment silence befell the Barnard Stadium B field.
Perhaps the crowd, mostly Northerns fans, was stunned into silence, waiting to see if Bekker would get up to his feet because of the ferocity of that tackle.
But one Northerns fan, holding a pint of beer, and seemingly knows this man well, stood next to the touchline and shouted, “Get in there Jesse. You’ve got inside his head. He’s seen what you can do”.
The bulky eighthman got up, dusted himself off and played one of his best games in Northerns colours since he joined the club nine years ago.
He was instrumental in his team’s 22-8 victory over foes, Nigel, when they clinched the league title to end their season undefeated.
“It’s been a long time coming. I’ve played for Benoni Northerns for nine years and never lifted a cup. We’ve got a good bunch of lads, so it’s sweet for us to do so this year.”
Bekker put in the big tackles and penetrated the opposition defensive line several times with crucial carries in both halves of the contest, proving why his coach, Malcolm Taylor, refers to him as the pillar of the club.
“Jesse is a hero. He gave his kidney to his sister and made a recovery before coming back and playing like a machine. He should be in the hall of fame of the club. He’s the pillar of the club. He’s crucial. We call him ‘Tarzan’. He brings everything,” Taylor said.
Also Read: Brother donates kidney to save sister’s life
Like Taylor highlighted, Bekker brought everything to the game and left it on the field. He didn’t only give to his club this year. He donated one of his kidneys to his ailing sister, Toni-Lee who was diagnosed with lupus when she was 13, earlier this year.
He recovered from the operation in time to rejoin his team and help them to the league title.
“I’m proud of myself. I got a lot of criticism for coming back. People said it’s a bit irresponsible but hopefully, I can serve as a beacon of hope for those going through the same thing or maybe just an ordinary person to do something great,” he said.
After the final whistle, an exhausted Bekker spent a few minutes alone on the touchline while his teammates celebrated their famous win. He stared at the ground deep in thought, and when he finally returned to the current moment, it dawned on him that he was a champion.
“I was counting my blessings. I tend to overthink things, and today, it just paid off. Like I said to the Benoni City Times a while ago, I’m not very technical. I have this unwavering faith, and it’s what drives me.
“There’s no blueprint to life. I just try to do the best I can for myself and be an inspiration for my children. I want to thank my family and the supporters. It means a lot. I’m very happy today.”
Also Read: HERO: Jesse recovering well after kidney donation procedure
