WATCH: Wilro Park resident fights for his life in ICU

A part of adult life sometimes means making difficult decisions for the betterment of your family. When the coronavirus lockdown hit, the financial ramifications on many businesses that were forced to halt operations had dire effects on those who relied on the businesses for their income.

Arthur Tee rebuilds trucks for a living, and the closure of his workshop meant that his family had to make some exceedingly difficult decisions to stay afloat, one of them being to cancel their medical aid. This year started off on a better note, and the Tee family were in the process of reinstating their medical aid when the coronavirus found its way into their family.

Arthur’s mother had been receiving treatment in a government hospital when she was infected with the virus. His wife, Alida, who had been delivering essentials to the hospital came into contact with the virus and unknowingly brought it home to her husband. Arthur was initially treating his symptoms at home but his underlying conditions, including high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol quickly led to the infection worsening.

Having contracted the virus from a government hospital, the family made another difficult decision when they chose to have him admitted to the intensive care unit of a private hospital in Krugersdorp, deciding it was the safest option. Arthur has been in ICU since May 22 and unfortunately, his condition is not looking good. The main worry for doctors was an infection in his lungs, leading to low oxygen levels and high blood pressure. On June 14, a tracheostomy needed to be done to prevent any vocal cord damage from leaving the ventilator tube in his throat for too long. Doctors flushed Arthur’s lungs and have him sedated for around 20 hours a day. His condition was stable, but three days after his procedure Alida received a phone call from doctors that Arthur was in critical condition. “More than anything we have come to realise not to take anything or anyone for granted. What is here today is not guaranteed tomorrow. My two kids and I have gone through a very tough time, but we are closer than ever and fighting the battle for Arthur,” said Alida.

So far, through fundraising initiatives and financial sacrifices, the family has managed to pay the majority of the hospital bills, but each day Arthur lies in ICU is another cost for the family to cover without their breadwinner working. Arthur has a lot of people depending on him, including his wife, pensioner mother, his son, and his employees at A R Tee Cab Exchange. Also praying for his recovery and a miracle to help the family with the costs are his daughter and grandson.

Fundraising initiatives are already in motion and the family is pleading with any community members who are willing to make a small donation to help cover Arthurs medical costs. With the primary breadwinner in their family bed-ridden in ICU, fundraising initiatives are their best hope, which is why the Tee family decided to host a Smash-A-Cab initiative on Saturday, June 19. For a small donation, community members could take their frustrations from the past year and a half out on a truck cab, spray-painted with tributes to Arthur. The Tee family provided a variety of different tools to assist with the destruction of the cab. K9 dogs entertained guests with their dog show, and a tyre flip section and food stalls added to the event’s atmosphere.

If you are able to assist the Tee family, visit the BackaBuddy page that has been set up for Arthur here. Any willing donors can also contact Alida on 083 454 3276.