Toddler wins fight for life

Christi-Sue and Jors Strydom are relieved at the progress of their little girl, Allegra (2) who was in high spirits at Netcare The Bay Hospital Paediatric Ward on Wednesday morning, where hospital PRO - Zodwa Zikalala and big sister McKenna (5) were also on hand to share the blessing of Allegra’s recovery

Two children were lucky to survive after a heavy metal gate fell on top of them, causing serious head injuries. Cousins Allegra Strydom (2) and Elgan du Plessis (3) had enjoyed a family function at a premises in Birdswood on Saturday afternoon and were playing on the vehicle entrance gate in the presence of adults.‘We were watching them having fun, sliding the gate open slowly,’ said Allegra’s mother, Christi-Sue, wife of popular Zululand rugby player, Jors Strydom. ‘Suddenly the gate came down on top of them. Elgan held on and was cut on the ear, while Allegra let go and took the full brunt of the gate’s fall. ‘Blood poured from her ears and we thought she would die,’ said Christi-Sue. A race to Netcare The Bay Hospital saw the child admitted to ICU with severe injuries including two fractures at the base of the skull and a severed facial nerve. Elgan, who turned three on Tuesday, was treated for concussion and discharged but for Allegra’s parents it was an anxious bedside vigil as they waited for her to regain consciousness. A prayer chain circulated via churches and the Empangeni Rugby Club as the brave child hovered between life and death. ‘When she opened her eyes on Sunday and recognised us and began to speak we were thrilled that prayers had been answered,’ said Christi-Sue. ‘She is a real tough and spirited child and we never needed to motivate her - she has such a zest for life.’ While Allegra was in pain and feeling miserable, her progress was such that she was transferred to the paediatric ward on Tuesday afternoon. The incident has highlighted the dangers of unsecure gates, with three similar accidents reported during the past weekend alone. ‘I beg people to please check whether their gates have the right safety mechanisms to prevent this happening again,’ said an impassioned Christi-Sue. ‘We put nets over swimming pools, and gate safety should be an equal priority.’