Paramedics and police officers responded to the call just after 3am on Monday morning.
Fashion designer Quiteria Kekana (37) had been in a near-fatal car accident.
He was spat out of his BMW X5 while driving from the Free State to Johannesburg.
According to Quiteria, he suddenly lost control of the car while driving and is still unsure how the accident happened.
“I really don’t know how everything happened so fast and how the car managed to stop with two other people in the middle of nowhere. It’s a miracle” he tells Drum.
Fortunately, his two passengers, Leon Payn and Sephiri Rasemene, did not sustain any injuries.
“Thank God they are okay. I was never going to be able to live with the guilt if anything had happened to them,” he says.
Quiteria, however, was not so lucky.
He sustained injuries to his back and neck and spent three days in the hospital. He has since been discharged.
“All I know is I’m grateful to be alive and that the car is not a write-off,” he adds.
There is a silver lining for the designer who has had a couple of bad years.
Speaking to Drum in a previous interview, he opened up about his struggle with mental illness and how he has attempted suicide six times.
Since then, he says he has been in a good place in his life until this accident happened.
“I have been working hard on my mental health and keeping afloat despite the many challenges that this year came with. I’m not going to allow anything to ruin my happiness,” Quiteria says.
He adds that he has been attending sessions with clinical psychologist Dr Cino Shearer.
“He has helped me and other people throughout the years to deal with issues of depression and mental health. He was the first person I phoned on the scene to help calm me down,” Quiteria says.
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Although therapy is helpful, Quiteria admits that this year has still not been easy for him.
“It’s not easy. Our businesses were affected by the pandemic and now I have to fix three tyres.
“I thank God for my life and I am grateful, anything could have happened.” Quiteria says.
“I have been very open about my mental health and suicide attempts because I want to help others while helping myself. For me, being alive every day means I get another chance to better myself and improve the lives of others.
“Life is too short. One minute you are okay singing your favourite song in the car and the next you are in hospital,” he adds.
