Ill teen shows true grit by passing his matric
New Brighton teen defies serious lung infection to achieve matric exemption pass
BATTLING to breathe due to a lung infection, a tenacious New Brighton teen demonstrated true grit by writing and passing his matric exams despite flitting back and forth between hospital, home and school. Cowan High School matriculant Sabatha Heshu, 19, who is still in hospital after being fully admitted the day after he finished exams, received the good news from excited family members who brought him The Herald with the results.
He passed with a matric exemption – the best possible pass level a pupil can achieve.
Heshu, who lives with his aunt and various family members, was diagnosed with an infection in both lungs weeks before the start of the exams and was in and out of hospital while writing.
It got so bad that he had to be transported from home to school to write, then to the hospital. By the time he finished his last paper, he could not walk as far as the gate.
Speaking from Livingstone Hospital yesterday, Heshu said he was amazed he had managed to pass all seven subjects.
“I have not seen my statement, though, to see how I did since I’m still here, but I’m just grateful I
‘ We had to sleep with all the windows open so he could get air
passed.
“It was tough going, especially towards the end when I could barely walk, but I just could not not finish my exams, no matter how sick I was,” the frail teen said.
Heshu said he had written the majority of his subjects in a room alone, while his peers wrote in the hall.
“In November, I couldn’t walk far and had to be driven everywhere. One of our neighbours, Tat’Boyce, drove me to school when I had to write, walked me to the principal’s office where I had to rest for a while, before going to the little classroom to write. And then he would have to take me back home.”
Heshu said he had not even studied that much for the exams as he was having a really hard time breathing by then. His subjects included maths literature, economics, business and tourism.
“I just concentrated in class most of the year and it paid off. I thought I was going to just do well on the course work that was done in the first semester, before I got really sick. But it seems like I did OK on the work from the rest of the year as well. I still cannot believe it.”
His aunt, Pheliswa Heshu, said they were also amazed at him passing because he could not even study for exams as he could not concentrate for long periods of time.
“He could not even walk to the gate without running out of air. We had to sleep with all the windows open so he could get air, then he would go to the hospital some weekends. When we heard he had passed, we went and bought the paper and took it to him at the hospital.
“He has been through a lot. His mother died in 2003, his grandmother in 2010. His social grant was taken away last year and yet he managed this. It shows he was really serious about getting his matric,” the proud aunt said.
She said he was making progress as he was now able to speak, not being able to utter words for a few weeks after he was admitted.
Heshu said that last year he had not allowed himself to think of his future, as he did not know if he was going to pass and he could not afford to spend money on university applications.
“The doctors said I will get out of here soon, so I will plan for next semester. I’m hoping I can do something in economic development or logistics management.”