Miracle baby takes up Midmar Mile challenge
GREENSIDE – Greenside boy the youngest to ever take part in the largest open water race.
Seth Hopkins (5) is the youngest Midmar Mile competitor ever and is a true ‘miracle baby’.
Seth was still-born and was out of oxygen for 18 minutes.
He died inside his mother’s womb and, six minutes later, was pulled out and resuscitated for 12 minutes before being put on life support.
The birth defects have not hindered him from achieving his full potential doing what he loves.
“We said we were doing the Midmar Mile and he said he wanted to do it. We told him it was an adult race but he insisted he wants to do it without any floating devices,” said Seth’s mother Lindsay.
They entered in the family race and were together all the way.
“It was very cold when I did the race, but I did the whole Midmar Mile,” said Seth.
Lindsay added that Seth has been independent in water since he was two years old.
“He continues to nag us asking when the next Midmar Mile will take place. He goes to Virgin Active and he [does] not come out of the pool until he has done 64 lengths.”
Seth said, “I want to do another race because I like it and my mum said we can go to Gold Reef City (as a reward).”
Although the youngster is excited about the trip; he wants to continue swimming for a cause.
“I then jumped on it as I decided to raise funds toward a special family charity called Born Sleeping,” said Lindsay.
“This year, we were inspired after Seth and his dad visited Tala Game Reserve and found out a lot of information on rhinos. They suggested we look into Lawrence Anthony, who wrote the Elephant Whisperer, as he has a rhino orphanage.We often read the horror stories of poached rhinos, mostly through social media channels, but often don’t act purely because we don’t have the time to go and search on channels, or simply don’t think about it. We also often forget about the devastation it leaves behind – the orphaned baby rhinos,” she said.
“I think this is a deserving and desperate cause and so apt, given that most of us have children so it’s real.”
According to Lindsay, Seth has been an absolute water baby from a young age.
“He had birth difficulties and went to physiotherapy and did a lot of things; the main one was swimming.”
Seth battles with his airways and has oxygen deprivation. His tonsils and adenoids were removed when he was four years old.
