Charl wearing his eye patch |
As Charl Fourie, a 30 year old who lost his left eye in a
malicious attack says ‘’there are always 2 sides to a story’’ and this is his. A
story of how a fun night out can quickly escalate with life altering
consequences.
Four years ago during the cold winter of July in 2011 while leaving
the car park from a bar in Kalk Bay harbour, his vehicle stalled while
attempting to cross over the train track. The vehicle behind him collided into
his rear bumper which set off a chain of reactions that will leave Charls’ life
changed forever. Before he could even pull the handbrake up he was violently assaulted
through the open window by a young man. He was unable to start the vehicle due
to the cold engine. Being attacked and unable to drive away, Charl had no
choice but to get out the car and defend himself from the oncoming bombing of
attacks. There was a brawl before things calmed down for a short while.
Charl with god-daughter Kiana. |
The two parties evaluated the damage between the two
vehicles and found none which was visible. Things again started to escalate
into which would leave Charl with an altered life. The friend of the man who
had punched him, was still sitting inside the car, then climbed out and verbally
confronted Charl. One of the two perpetrators pushed him onto his car and Charl head butted him during the scuffle. A steering lock was brought out of the
attacker’s car by the driver and Charl was brutally attacked with what he
recalls being hit three times. He ending up with a broken forearm, head and
facial injuries, loss of visibility, copious bleeding and while left unconscious
in the road, the attackers had fled the scene over the railway crossing.
With his blue glass eye. |
After the attack of the steering lock he doesn’t remember what
happened. Next thing he knew he was passing the local BP petrol station through
Fish Hoek. He amazingly managed to drive himself with the bone protruding
through his arm and having limited visibility to his parent’s house. After
arriving at his parents’ house his father then rushed Charl to False Bay Hospital for immediate trauma intervention. The damage to his head was
evaluated and stitches were attempted. He was transferred to the trauma ward in
Groote Schuur Hospital by the CMR, who are the local paramedics. Charls’ skull
had been cracked, his left eye torn and a bone was sticking out his arm.
Emergency operations were performed to minimise the damage where possible. Unfortunately
he was told a few days later his left eye had to be removed due to severe damage
which was not repairable. ‘’I pleaded if anything else could be done,’’ Charl
sadly explained. Surgery was done on the eye he was to lose, and after a long
recovery, followed a facial bone and facial reconstruction surgery.
Today Charl still needs to have three operations done on
both his arm and eye socket. He can be seen wearing his eye patch which he and
his dad made themselves. Beneath that
eye patch is a striking glass eye, a replica of the colour of the eye that he
is left with, which is kept hidden from others. At first he had been fitted
with a random blue eye while his glass eye was being made.
Charl who produces psytrance can sometimes be seen playing
for the crowd at those parties, and is also now in the process of trying to
start his own freelance business in web development and graphic design.
Playing at a psytrance party. |
Loved ones were left feeling shocked and highly concerned
once they had found out the news about what had happened to him. Charl had
woken up to see his brother shedding a tear, and ever since vowed to be a
better brother. He explained to me that because of what had happened he
‘’found out who true friends are.’’ He is godfather to his best friend
Laurence’s daughter Kiana and a proud uncle to his baby niece.
Charls' answer to my question of what was the hardest thing
to deal with was ‘’what it did to my family. Seeing my parents helpless and
concerned for my life.’’
His greatest fear in life now is losing his only remaining
eye and succumbing to total darkness. This fear had made him a lot more cautious he explained.
He ‘’loves life more now.” And doesn’t have much tolerance
for petty issues anymore. His outlook on
life took a drastic turn and he doesn’t find himself dwelling on past mistakes.
‘’Grateful to be alive, not brain damaged or paralysed,’’ he said.
Charl jokes with me as we sit at our local pub, ''in the
land of the blind, the one eyed man is King!''
Kelly (Laurencs' girlfriend), Laurence and Charl attending a wedding. |
1 comment :
That's our amazing son!!!! More Charlisms: My eye was bigger than my stomach, and I am the designated driver as I can't see double
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