In May 2010 Reg Haupt left his family in Port Elizabeth and went to Cape Town to explore a business opportunity. Being the dedicated sportsman that he is, he kept up his habit of going on daily morning cycles.
It was during a morning ride on June 6 that his life was changed forever when he was struck down in a bone-shattering head-on collision with a car driven by a drunken driver. His left ankle, right leg, left hip, pelvis, T6 vertebra, seven ribs and collar bone were all broken: there were 15 fractures in all and doctors who examined him after the accident wanted to amputate his right leg. Reg says God miraculously saved his life and his leg.
After 40 days on his back Reg graduated to a wheelchair and nine days later he was discharged from hospital. Back in Port Elizabeth he began the slow road to recovery: learning to use crutches and eventually starting to put weight on his right leg. On November 26th he was told he could start cycling again.
Since the accident Reg has experienced ups and downs in his faith, wavering between times of depression and times of counting his blessings and standing on the promises of God. His body is much stronger now but he is still in need of much healing. His present greatest concern and source of frustration is his need to find employment in the face of substantial medical costs and a diminishing bank balance. But for the moment he has set his sights on a mission that has become very close to his heart. In March, three months after getting out of his wheelchair, he plans to cycle some 800 km to Cape Town to raise funds for Cheshire Home, a Port Elizabeth home for disabled people. He also aims to raise awareness about the consequences of drunken driving and to promote responsible drinking. Reg says he feels great empathy for permanently disabled people at Cheshire Home and he is motivated to do something to help the non profit organisation (NPO 008-314) secure income to help cover its high operating costs.
From Port Elizabeth Reg will be cycling through Humansdorp, Stormsriver, Knysna, Mossel Bay, Riversdale, Riviersonderend and Somerset West on his way to Cape Town.
Reg expects to cover a maximum of 140 kilometres a day and expects to arrive in Cape Town on 9 March just in time to then complete his 10th Argus Cycle Race.
Accompanying Reg on his journey will be David Stuthard.
Reg invites anybody who would like to sponsor his fundraising mission to do so by depositing money in the following bank account: Cheshire Home Summerstrand, Nedbank Govan Mbeki, Account 1212 032233, Branch code 121-217, reference: cycle.
Alan Straton
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