'I'm okay,' then fatal jump
2008-07-10 08:43
Virginia Keppler and Cilleste van der Walt
Pretoria - On her 33rd birthday, a woman jumped from the Garsfontein Road bridge onto the N1 highway and was hit and killed by a truck.
Now, her husband Peter, 38, says he doesn't know what to tell their three young children.
Arina Roebert of Newlands in Pretoria, had been struggling with depression for the past 10 months. She spoke to her mother-in-law, Pal Roebert, on the phone and told her she was "okay" shortly before she jumped.
Arina's husband, Peter, 38, said his mother had phoned and asked Arina where she was just before she jumped off the bridge.
Arina had replied, "I'm on the road, everything is okay. Cheers."
Pal asked Arina to drive to her (Pal's) house.
A witness, Nico Mohlala, said Arina had been speaking on her cellphone when he drove across the bridge past her.
The bridge is about 2.5km from Arina's house.
The truck driver was not hurt.
Depressed for 10 months
At his house on Wednesday, Peter said his wife had been depressed for the past 10 months and that this might have driven her over the edge.
Peter said: "She was the most wonderful person on earth and gave me the best 10 years of my life."
He said they had not had any problems apart from Arina's depression.
"We didn't have any financial problems and we were happy. This was just a tragic accident."
The couple have three children: Mikayla, six, Joshua, four, and Luke, two.
Peter said: "I dropped them off at nursery school this morning.
I have to tell them tonight. What am I going to say?"
Peter said Arina was an exceptional mother. She looked after the children well. Her dream was to be a good mother and wife. She was a real boeremeisie."
Arina's parents, who drove from the Free State on Wednesday with presents and cake to celebrate their daughter's birthday with her family, were devastated about her death.