Zanika Morton’s life changed forever when she tripped over her toy bag and hit her head against the side of her parents’ bed on Wednesday, 25 March 2020. After visits to various specialists and two operations, it was determined that Zanika had permanently lost sight in her eye.
During further operations, a piece of fat from her buttocks near her hip was planted over her shrinking eye to return it to its normal shape. She later received a prosthetic cover fitted over her damaged eyeball to make it look like her other eye. Zanika astounded everyone with her quick recovery, however.
“We took her to an occupational therapist to see whether she was suffering any consequences due to her ordeal.
“She evaluated my daughter and told us she was not experiencing any problems,” says her mother, Anika.
Zanika’s enthusiasm and energy know no bounds. She always wanted to take up modelling, which she started at Body Fit Fashions in Carletonville last year. She excels at it. So far, Zanika has won ten places in various competitions and come first in many of them.
She particularly excels at photographic modelling. Last weekend, she was the runner-up in the Miss Enchanted pageant and also got the prize for the best-dressed model. She loves going to her pre-school, doing ballet and playball and playing with her two elder brothers.
“She plays much rougher than her brothers. She even wants to play rugby, but that it is a bit too much for her,” chuckles her mom.
