Rescuer shrugs off injuries:
Retired doctor, 84, steps in to assist dog bite victim who took in fire victims and their pets
ABRAVE woman who came to the rescue of animals affected by the Knysna fires shrugged off her injuries after a frightened dog bit her, saying: “It’s only my face. There are so many bigger problems.”
Tracy While-Erasmus was badly bitten while giving shelter to 30 victims of the Knysna fires, their 19 dogs, countless cats and a couple of cockatiels.
But her neighbour, Bridgette Hersh, said While-Erasmus is the most selfless woman who takes everyone in and she deserved a chance to have her face fixed.
Taking to Facebook on Saturday night, Hersh, 42, appealed for help in finding a plastic surgeon who could help WhileErasmus, 45.
“If anyone knows a plastic surgeon who is willing to help a friend in need, fairly urgently, please let me know,” she wrote.
“Long shot I know. She took in animals and families during the worst of the fires and one of the dogs bit her face several times.”
At almost the same time, retired Port Elizabeth plastic surgeon Dr Charles Apostolis was sending out a message asking if any victims of the fires needed his help.
Yesterday the pair were brought to each other’s attention, with Apostolis saying he would meet While-Erasmus this afternoon for a consultation.
On Wednesday night when devastating fires ripped through Knysna, While-Erasmus, who lives on Thesen Island which escaped the fires, took in as many people and their pets as she could.
“One of the families had a German Shepherd and a poodle. I put the German Shepherd in the garage where there was water,” she said.
At about 10pm she went to check on the dog and bent down to give it a pat.
“It was not the animal’s fault. There was so much smoke and sirens and chaos,” While-Erasmus said.
She said at first the bites had not felt that bad, but “I felt the blood running down my face”.
While-Erasmus was taken to the Knysna hospital but it was being evacuated so the job was a quick one.
Hersh said: “She doesn’t have medical aid and went to the provincial hospital to be sewn up. Now her eyesight is a bit fuzzy.”
Apostolis, who was quick to offer his help to While-Erasmus, said: “I was a plastic surgeon who practised in Port Elizabeth for 50 years.
“I was sitting here doing nothing and thought ‘How can I help? With all the fires there must be people who need help’.”
Apostolis, who worked at the Nuffield Burns Unit in the United Kingdom during his early career, said: “I know I can help. I might be 84 but I am perfectly capable. I’m not going to charge people.”
He said that while he was happy to help While-Erasmus, he had extensive experience when it came to burns and would happily help anyone in need.
He said while at the Nuffield Burns Unit his former boss was insistent that “we had the burns healed in three weeks, or else there was the Spanish Inquisition!”
A grateful While-Erasmus said: “I don’t want to make a big deal of this, it’s just my face and there are so many bigger problems, but I will see him.”