João Silva goes sightseeing

2011-01-21 09:32

Johannesburg - On his first day out of a hospital bed in nearly three months, injured South African war photographer, João Silva, went sight-seeing in the American capital.

The New York Times published pictures of Silva on his first day out of hospital since he stepped on a landmine in Afghanistan in October last year.

Silva, 44, was with American troops in war-torn Kandahar when he stepped on an anti-personnel mine.

He has been treated in several hospitals in Germany and the USA after losing parts of both his legs.

He is currently being treated at the Water Reed Army Medical Centre in Washington.

He received a day's leave on Sunday from his hospital bed, during which he visited some of
Washington DC's best-known tourist spots and a Mexican restaurant.

Wrapped in warm clothes in his wheelchair, he and four friends visited the Second World War memorial and the Vietnam veterans memorial.

“It was great to be out,” Silva told the newspaper.

"It felt liberating. I felt more like a human being than a prisoner in four walls.

"At the end, I kind of wished it could go on longer."

- Beeld