Hit-and-run victim fights for his life – again

For the second time in his life Dudley Cole is fighting for his life after a horrific accident.

In a Facebook blog his sister, Candice Cole wrote, “12 years ago we went through this, I remember feeling completely helpless in what to say or do”.

On Saturday, 15 May, between 4.30pm and 5.30pm Dudley was driving on Ontdekkers Road on his way to Roodepoort North. It is believed that as he was passing Funchal Take Away the driver of a silver car lost control of the vehicle and hit Dudley’s car, which went over the median and hit a tree while the other driver allegedly drove away.

Candice explained that Dudley is the proud father of Rogan Cole and husband to Ilze Cole.

Twelve years ago he was involved in a motorbike accident also on Ontdekkers Road, “… also a hit and run”, Candice said, adding that he also had to be airlifted to hospital. He had suffered brain injuries, a collapsed lung, broken ribs, a broken arm and leg, and a fractured skull, and he was in a coma. The family was told that he would have to learn to walk and talk again.

“We found ourselves stuck in a vortex of constant worry, unable to sleep, emotions such as anger, sadness, feeling hopeless, crying next to his hospital bed, praying for him to just wake up.”

Dudley woke up but the ordeal left him struggling to cope with the stress of it all.

“He was very confused. He could not talk to us as he had a tracheostomy [..]. This was especially difficult for us as a family to see Dudley like this. With no experience or knowledge on how to handle this, we tried our best every day to support one another, be strong for Dudley and try to find the person who did that to him,” she said in her post.

Many years later the family was still no closer to finding out who had caused the first accident, and now this happened again.

“The stigma of a hit and run, a heartless person who causes so much pain, suffering and trauma and chooses at drive away was so great that we felt a rage of anger for months, yet there was no one who came forward or reached out to us with information so we had no choice to just move on with our lives.”

Dudley is currently in a coma in ICU, and he is unable to breathe on his own. He has broken ribs, a broken arm and a broken leg.

“We ask each and every person who read Dudley’s story to pray and share as far and wide as you possibly can. Please, we really need your support.”

Candice asked anyone with information about the accident or the other vehicle please to contact her on 076 687 5081.