Stabroek News Sunday

Berbice accident survivor selected to head road safety committee

- By Bebi Oosman

Two years ago, Berbice teacher Monix Hetemeyer survived a car crash. Now, because of her passion to institute change and offer support to other crash victims, she has been selected to head a new committee developed by the Guyana National Road Safety Council called Survivors Unite.

Hetemeyer was forced to have her leg amputated in the aftermath of a car crashing into the restaurant where she was dining with a friend in New Amsterdam, Berbice in February 2022. A man, who was speeding, had driven a Toyota 212 car into Big B’s Restaurant on Main Street, New Amsterdam, injuring Hetemeyer and her friend and shattering the eatery’s glass frontage. He was subsequent­ly charged with dangerous driving, failure to render assistance, being an unlicensed driver, and operating a motor vehicle without insurance.

Hetemeyer, who along with teaching at the New Amsterdam Secondary School was a part-time lecturer at the University of Guyana, had to deal with challenges she never imagined following the incident. However, she continues to persevere, turning every challenge into a positive opportunit­y to grow.

Hetemeyer said, “I feel wonderful saying this now after two years. Yes, I’ve survived. I am a wife, mother, singer, musician, educator, and motivation­al speaker. On February 19, 2022, to be exact, my life changed significan­tly.

“My friend and I had just finished a nice dinner and engaging conversati­on when a car crashed into our table. I can honestly say that it was the worst day I have ever had. My left leg was amputated below the knee as a result...”

After the incident, Hetemeyer found out that the driver did not have a licence and the car was not insured. “Honestly, the problem was made worse by this knowledge. My friend and I might not have been in the situation we were in if the driver had a licence; who knows? Thankfully, despite suffering terribly from the event, none of my friend’s limbs were lost.”

Being a highly active person, losing a leg “was not going to be easy for me,” she said.

“A careless person who failed to exercise due care while operating a vehicle has now made my life difficult. How is my life right now? This year, thanks to the tireless efforts of numerous people, notably the Road Safety Council, I was able to get a prosthesis, which has really aided me. I’m able to lead a rather regular life. Together with my husband, I serve as the pastor of the Redeemer Full Gospel Church in addition to being a lecturer at the University of Guyana. My life, as you might imagine, is frequently busy because I am also a mother of two as well as the founder of a few organisati­ons. I can’t say that this journey has been easy, it hasn’t, but with the help of God, as well as that of my family and friends, it has gotten a little bit easier.”

Expressing gratitude to God, Hetemeyer stressed, “I have persevered because of my faith in God. In every interview I give, I state unequivoca­lly that if it weren’t for God, I don’t know where I would have ended up. I am also incredibly appreciati­ve of the help I have received from my relatives, friends, and even strangers. I’ve found a lot of strength in all of the support. For this reason, when Ms Ramona Doorgen [Coordinato­r at the Guyana National Road Safety Council] asked me to head a group that would work to aid survivors of vehicle crashes, I jumped at the chance.”

According to her, Doorgen said to her that when she thought about starting the committee, it was Hetemeyer’s face that she saw heading it. “I smiled when she said it, even though she was unaware of it at the time because we were talking on the phone. I went through it and still bear the scars, so if anyone can identify with what these individual­s are going through, it’s me,” Hetemeyer said.

The committee – Survivors Unite – was formed with a mission to provide compassion­ate and comprehens­ive support to survivors of road crashes and their families. Hetemeyer said: “We are dedicated to alleviatin­g the physical, emotional, and financial burdens that arise from traumatic incidents. Through a multidisci­plinary approach, we aim to empower survivors with the resources, informatio­n, and networks necessary to navigate their recovery journey, rebuild their lives, and find hope in the midst of adversity.”

She stressed that the committee will make every effort to provide the survivors with the network of support they require to lead a life that is relatively normal. “As I mentioned,

one of the main goals is to promote collaborat­ion,” she said. “We therefore want to carry out our objectives through collaborat­ion with various agencies. Life is unpredicta­ble, and tragedy can happen at any time, but as caring human beings, it is our duty to assist those in need in whatever manner we can. The committee will be establishe­d this year, and then work will begin.”

As a survivor, she said, helping others who are in a similar situation has now become her life’s mission and she strongly believes that the committee can achieve its objective, “one step at a time.”

Key focus

Key objectives and areas of focus for the committee include: medical and psychologi­cal support to ensure survivors have access to quality medical and psychologi­cal care, including counsellin­g, therapy, and rehabilita­tion services; informatio­n and advocacy to educate survivors and their families about their rights, available resources, and legal options, and advocate on their behalf to ensure fair treatment and compensati­on; financial assistance, including grants, loans, or access to programmes that can help cover medical expenses, rehabilita­tion costs, and other necessary support; community and peer support to establish a network of survivors, peer mentors, and support groups to foster a sense of community, understand­ing, and shared experience­s.

Importantl­y, the committee, which was developed in November 2023, will also focus on prevention and education – to raise awareness about crash prevention

measures and provide educationa­l resources to help communitie­s and individual­s minimise risks; to advocate for policies and regulation­s that enhance safety measures and offer support to crash survivors and their families; crisis interventi­on and helplines to establish helplines and crisis interventi­on services to provide immediate assistance and emotional support

Additional­ly, the committee is also aiming to focus on collaborat­ion and partnershi­ps; to work collaborat­ively with government agencies, healthcare providers, legal experts, and other stakeholde­rs to ensure a holistic approach to survivor support.

The committee can be contacted at unitesurvi­vors524@gmail.com.

 ?? ?? Monix Hetemeyer
Monix Hetemeyer

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