Durban — There is good news regarding the Paarl Boys' High schoolboy who was seriously injured in a freak incident at an Easter rugby festival in Pretoria.
The 17-year-old Chris Jordaan suffered bleeding on the brain when his head struck the ground because of a whiplash movement following what was described as a “normal” tackle.
He underwent a four-hour operation to relieve pressure on his brain and was kept in a controlled coma in the ICU of the Muelmed hospital.
TheSouthAfrican.com website has reported that Jordaan is “doing a lot better according to reliable sources”.
Jordaan has been moved out of ICU and will continue rehabilitation at the hospital for the next three months.
In April last year, Dale College pupil Liyabna Teyise died after he suffered a head injury in a match in East London and when news of the injury to Jordaan broke, there was an eruption of concern and support for the teenager.
Stormers and Springbok No 8 Evan Roos was just one player to tweet a message of support for the stricken young loose forward.
Paarl Boys' head coach Sean Erasmus said the greater rugby community had shown “unbelievable” camaraderie.
“The messages have kept flooding in. It’s just so humbling,” he said soon after the incident.
The boy's father, Chris Jordaan Snr told the media that the family had been overwhelmed by the reaction of total strangers.
“The support we have received is just amazing. There’s no other way to describe it,” he said. “I’ve never experienced anything like this or seen anything like this.
“People came out of the blue to give support, help, and prayers. It’s crazy. All the schools in the Cape, the ones up here in Pretoria, the principals have called and expressed their support. The support has also come from all over South Africa.”
IOL Sport