Clifford Anekeover 2 years ago

Spearfishing accident.

Pastor C. Hallowell believes it was a “miracle” that he survived a near-death experience when he accidentally triggered his spear gun and shot himself in the face. Hallowell, 48, the pastor at City Hill Church and an avid scuba diver, was flown to a hospital where the spear was cut out of his face following the freak incident. He said that the accident near Scottburgh’s main beach was the first time he had been injured since he became a scuba diver more than a decade ago. Recalling the incident, he said that he was fishing for crayfish when the incident happened. “I put my gun down while I was trying to get some sinkers out of the rocks. A big wave came, and with that wave in action, I tried to remove the gun, and the trigger went off and fired the spear into my face.” The pastor said it felt as if someone had hit him, but he knew that no one else was around. “When I tried to move my head, I couldn’t, and I realised it was a spear. I managed to stand up, and I just thought let me stay awake. I screamed for people to help me while I walked back towards the shore.” Hallowell said he was blinded by the blood on his mask and applauded the paramedics and fellow fishermen for their prompt response. “The fishermen came very quick. They were fantastic. They managed to help me in a short period. I sat down on the beach. They tried to cut down the spear with a bolt cutter, which caused immense pain. Eventually, they managed to get an angle grinder and an extension cord, and they cut the spear short.” After that, he was airlifted to Netcare St Anne’s Hospital where he was operated on. The surgeon explained that there was a minor bone fracture and a lot of sand that they had to remove. “We took several scans to determine the extent of the damage, and it shows that the spear missed all the vital things in the face.” Hallowell confirmed that he was recovering well and he sounded both normal and could speak fluently. He said he has no plans to quit spearfishing and could not wait to get back to the water once he has fully recovered. Post credits @Medicalpedia