Girl, 4, cries over dad's body
2010-06-23 08:39
Vanderbijlpark - A 4-year-old girl stood crying next to her father's body on Tuesday, shortly after he was killed in a motorbike crash.
Herman Pienaar, 24, from Vanderbijlpark, had apparently gone to do get some things at a shop near their house when he crashed into a delivery vehicle which is believed to have turned in front of him.
His widow, Mathilda Pienaar, 20, ran to the scene when she heard about the accident - presumably not aware of how serious it was - along with their two children.
She collapsed when she saw her husband lying on the pavement and needed assistance from the paramedics.
The couple's 1-year-old son sat in his pushchair while his sister's cries cut through the air.
Died at the scene
"Paramedics tried to resuscitate the driver of the motorcycle, who didn't show any signs of life when they arrived at the scene," ER24 spokesperson Werner Vermaak said.
Pienaar presumably died of serious head injuries.
Family members and friends who arrived at the scene stood comforting each other in groups.
Madelein Pienaar, the victim's mother, was supported by his father, Pine Pienaar, at the scene where their son lay about 44m from the delivery vehicle.
The twisted wreckage of the motorbike, a white VFR 400 Honda, lay a further 9m away.
Pienaar's mother insisted on being allowed near her son's body.
Inseparable
"I want to see my child. I want to see my child," she said tearfully.
Louis Vorster, a neighbour of the victim's parents, told Beeld on Tuesday that "mother and son were inseparable".
He described the victim as "a nice boy who grew up in front of me. He was a friendly, helpful person, and motorbikes were his passion".
The driver of the delivery vehicle and his assistant were not injured.