Young Rodwell Khomazana’s face was left badly disfigured after a hyena mauled him. And now, four months since his ordeal, he’s been discharged from Sandton Mediclinic in Johannesburg – for now.

“Look, I have two eyes!” were the first words out of 9-year-old Zimbabwean Rodwell Khomazana’s mouth when he first saw himself in the mirror late last month.

His face had been reconstructed in six operations, and he’d been fitted with a prosthetic left eye and nose.

Rodwell was mauled by a hyena in May this year and this was the first time since the traumatic incident that the little boy managed to smile at his appearance again, says Dr Kim Barnard, a paediatric surgeon who’s been closely involved in Rodwell’s recovery.

The mere fact that the boy survived the brutal attack is a miracle in itself. Rodwell had been sleeping next to his grandmother while attending an overnight prayer meeting when the beast attacked. The damage was so extensive that his left eye had to be removed. His nose had been ripped off and his upper lip was torn to shreds.

Since his arrival in South Africa, he’s had surgery to reconstruct his eye socket and cheek bones, as well as his upper lip.

He’s also been given a temporary prosthetic nose and a permanent prosthetic left eye. And now, four months since his ordeal, he’s been discharged from Sandton Mediclinic in Johannesburg – for now.

“Time and again the past few months I’ve been surprised by how strong and resilient Rodwell is,” Dr Barnard says.

“His determination and fighting spirit are remarkable – and he does it so gracefully.”

(Pics - Rodwell arriving in South Africa four months ago)

Long road ahead

Rodwell and his mom, Shamiso Makiba, have been in SA since 19 June. Maqshuda Kajee, a local trauma nurse, coordinated with top medical professionals to provide free treatment for the boy.

One of Rodwell’s surgeons is Dr Ridwan Mia, the Johannesburg plastic surgeon famous for treating burn victim Pippie Kruger.

Though his doctors are satisfied with his progress, they say Rodwell still has a long road ahead of him.

“There’s an incredible number of challenges on his road to recovery, that’s why he and his mom will be staying on in SA for a few months still,” Dr Barnard says.

“Rodney is still being tube-fed because the damage to his upper lip prevents him from eating. He also has a trachea tube in his throat to help him breathe.

“There’s a lot of work still to be done to his skin and later, when he’s fully grown, he’ll need a new, permanent prosthetic nose.”

But it’s not just the physical scars that Rodwell will be dealing with for years to come.

“Not only did this child almost die, but he also has to accept that he’ll never look the way he did before, and that there are many more painful surgeries and medical procedures ahead,” she explains.

“He’s in a foreign country among foreigners. He struggles to speak and due to the loss of his left eye – which robbed him of his depth perception – he struggles to walk properly.”

Still, after months of treatment, it looks like Rodwell can slowly start returning to a semblance of a normal life.

(Pics - Rodwell recovering well after multiple corrective surgeries)

He is lucky not to have come from Nigeria more especially now that Buhari is in charge

Thank God he's not a Nigerian, I doubt he would have survived if it were to be in Nigeria.

Not easy to survive such an horrible attack. I wish him well.

Courageous boy

“There’s a whole rehabilitation team who are helping him with this part of the recovery process,” Kim says. “Among them are a clinical psychologist, a speech therapist and a physiotherapist. Rodwell must relearn how to eat, and even to speak. Because of his injuries, he’s unable to do simple things, like blowing a bubble.”

Despite all his challenges, Rodwell is making progress, she adds. His courage and desire to be a “normal boy” again continue to surprise his doctors.

“Of course, there’s a lot to be said for what medical specialists have accomplished. But this mom and her son are incredibly special. They’re fighting super hard and they’re doing it together. It’s a miracle what’s happened here and none of us doubt that he’ll be completely okay someday soon.”

Show us the new face oo

151487made:
Show us the new face oo

This is all the media is showing because he still has more surgeries to do. But he's looking better than when he arrived.

Read the article, you'll appreciate how much more his life has been improved.

Hope they've killed the Hyena?

God will recuperate the young lad

Rodwell's journey

In Zimbabwe hospital following hyena attack

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8V-Iiiwj6mQ

Arriving at South African hospital

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuLA8tXrAd4

Doctor gives update after surgeries

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQCut4YnSMc

Imagine a country where wild animals roams around, causes bodily harm and in some cases mauled their victims to death...

If this happened in my homeland Nigeria, next day all the able bodied men in the community would storm the said forest, and kill all moving, crawling and jumping animal in there.

Oops! Wild animals don't roam here because our love for bush meats has made run away...

A

Glad he made it.....

Generalwoodz:
Imagine a country where wild animals roams around, causes bodily harm and in some cases mauled their victims to death...

If this happened in my homeland Nigeria, next day all the able bodied men in the community would storm the said forest, and kill all moving, crawling and jumping animal in there.

Oops! Wild animals don't roam here because our love for bush meats has made run away...

..

Nothing but the truth.

Lucky boy!!! Thank God for doctors.

By now all the hyenas for don enter pot if na Naija..

Thank God for his life

Pitiful boy, I pray he survives the days ahead.

If the hyena had been attacked & killed before it pounced on the boy, our animal activists would claim it's a harmless animal.

SimplyFacts:
Pitiful boy, I pray he survives the days ahead.

[s]If the hyena had been attacked & killed before it pounced on the boy, our animal activists would claim it's a harmless animal.

[/s]

lilvicky68:
By now all the hyenas for don enter pot if na Naija..

Thank God for his life

I know you're just kidding but hyenas are too disgusting to be considered food - in my opinion

SimplyFacts:
Pitiful boy, I pray he survives the days ahead.

If the hyena had been attacked & killed before it pounced on the boy, our animal activists would claim it's a harmless animal.

The first option should be to relocate it instead of attacking and killing it. It also has a right to roam around like u do.

Thank God for him.

When I eventually attain a position in this country where my decision will have effect on the mass, first thing I'm campaigning against is religion. Not banning religion activities but I'll make sure we discourage people against it. Tax those churches, It has enslaved my people for so long.
The innocent grandma took him for overnight prayer only to get hauled by beast. Prayer wey dem no fit pray for their house, talk to their God in their mind
Some sundays back, a man with his two daughters and his wife on his bike cruising back from church had accident right at the t junction for my area, the man leg enter bike chain, the thing bluntly grind the feet comot from the ankle, leg looking like zombie leg, wife was rushed away to hospital. Those small children dey there confused, too small to understand what was going on. Btw, na ppl wey dey drink and watch ball for bar opposite junction first rushed to their aids when it happened.
People need to start putting same energy they put into religion into developing themselves.

TMKsouth:
This is how Rodwell looked before the attack

Kudos to the doctors.

How does he look after?

Hyenas be like women.
Many men need reconstruction to see clearly and live meaningful life.
Example, Paul, Nedu and 2baba; and many more

Quick recovery young chap

Brave young man, more grace as you continue your journey to recovery



I just hope that hyena has been transformed into hot steamy pepper soup....

H

In Nigeria you will be mulled by hunger

A hyena's bite is more powerful than a lion's. It can crush bones plus they can start eating their prey while its still alive. Dude is lucky to be alive.