Elderly people fire accounts
Many harrowing accounts of the fire have been told ,but there is something very touching when elderly people tell their stories and so bravely.
In the previous issue (page 23) of the KnysnaPlett Herald (KPH) Lesley Satchel told of her mother’s evacuation from Belvidere Park during the now infamous Knysna fires, a terrifying experience that had her mother moved several times from one place to another.
Grace McDonald, Satchel’s mother, who turns 97 later this year told the KPH of her incredible experience. Whilst visiting McDonald a few more stories of that tumultuous night were told by some of the other residents of Belvidere Park.
One such story is that of 67-year-old Carol Wilsher.
Wilsher is unable to speak due to illness, but her mind is perfect according to Sister Molly Meyer. Her story was related to KPH through Sr. Diana Muller, one of the carers at Belvidere Park.
Muller says that Wilsher had to be carried out in a wheelchair when the evacuation started. “At one stage she was held in Sister. Pam Jenkerson’s arms in the boot of a car. Later that night she and another patient had to sleep on pool tables as there was nowhere else for them to lay down comfortably,” told Muller.
“After being moved from Belvidere to Brenton, a hotel, the Beach, a restaurant in Buffalo Bay and then Sedgefield, Carol ended up in George where she was kept safe and comfortable at a step-down facility. I must say that we were treated very well everywhere we went,” said Muller.
The next tale that was told was that of 92-year-old Frances van der Mey.
“There was always someone holding my hand while we were moving. I must say that everyone who helped us were wonderful,” said Van der Mey.
Van der Mey said that they had to go “a very long way” and that she just went where ever she was told to go. “The only reason I was frightened was that I was afraid they would forget me somewhere, and I would forget my handbag somewhere,” she chuckled.
She told of how she had to take on the terrible wind in her slippers, while everyone around her was carrying all sorts of things.
87-year-old Ann Hobbs told of how she walked all the way holding onto her carer Elmarie van der Wath’s hand.
When asked whether she was scared or excited while being evacuated, Hobbs answered: “That’s quite a question. All I know is that we were determined to do what must be done.”
Hobbs said that after sleeping on the beach at one point, she was later taken to the Masithandane care centre in Sedgefield. “There were the kindest people helping us throughout the night,” she added.
One moment stuck in Hobbs’ mind is of her sitting on the beach at Buffalo Bay looking up at the flames. “Although it was so destructive it was an amazing sight to behold.”