When life metes out challenges, one can choose to become bitter or better. An #ImStaying family member, who chose to become better, is Humbulani (Prince) Mulaudzi , a moderator and visual storyteller on the #ImStaying Facebook group. He is a carrier of kindness.
Prince lives with a rare congenital condition, then falling victim to a near-fatal armed robbery and having to adjust to life after the trauma, nothing gets him down. He is the perfect person to instill some positive thoughts in us all as we face a collective challenge, the Covid-19 pandemic that threatens to bring our lives to a standstill.
If my friends were not there, if the ambulance service did not arrive in time or if the medical team did not give it their all to revive me, I would have bled to death.
Born with a rare congenital condition called “Congenital Anosmia” (no sense of smell), Prince decided early on to live with it. His father and sister also have the condition. He is happy that his children are not affected, but wish that he can smell them. His sense of taste is not affected, he assures everyone.
Sometimes, life throws us a curveball or two
Life threw him a curve ball in 2003, when he fell victim to an armed robbery in Rocky Street Yeoville. He was shot three times at close range, this for only a Nokia 6310 cell phone. The bullets missed his spinal cord by inches, wreaking havoc to his internal organs. Bleeding profusely, barely clinging to life, the paramedics rushed him to hospital for emergency surgery. He lost a kidney, his spleen removed, and his liver cut in half. His digestive system is severely compromised and he could not digest food for close to a month.
Prince recalls, “If my friends were not there, if the ambulance service did not arrive in time or if the medical team did not give it their all to revive me, I would have bled to death. They kept pumping me blood, but I could not stop bleeding. Mind you, back then blood banks were very low, (blood banks are still very low, please donate blood to save lives) l was later told that they were about to give me the last shot of blood when some German medical team were called in to test a blood-clotting drug, lf this didn’t work, I would have bled to death. Surely, it worked, and that is how the doctors were able to operate on me. I am grateful and appreciated how the medical team and nursing staff in ward 316 treated me for six weeks. The support from family and friends gave me the strength to fight. I cannot thank them enough for working selflessly around the clock only to spare my life.”
Prince, positive and living life to the fullest
Kindness remembered
Prince did not forget the kindness and care offered to him on his road to recovery. He goes back to the ward, again and again, to say thank you. Take his wonderful words of wisdom on board: “Let us learn to give credit where it is due, that is the lesson I drew from this. Sometimes we do not take time to say THANK YOU to the right person. #ImStaying, because there are loving and caring people out there. Way more than the party poopers and negative people.”
The photo of Prince in hospital is courtesy of Marc Shoul, who is a family friend to this day. Marc, a talented photographer was on assignment in the hospital when he happened upon Prince in the ICU ward. He was astounded when the very ill, semi-conscious Prince called him by his name! They never met before. Prince laughs recalling the strange moment. What a way to meet a new friend. We bonded for life.” Prince’s brand of kindness is beautifully illustrated in his recent post about an old lady he came across in Park Station. Stranded and fretting because her family had not arrived to pick her up after her journey from Botswana.
I cannot thank them enough for working selflessly around the clock only to spare my life.
“The uGogo was visibly shaken amidst the hustle and bustle of Park Station. I could sense her worry and asked if I could assist. She listed phone numbers, and they managed to get hold of her second-born, who was at the station, looking for her. I managed to get them united and UGogo rewarded me with makhaya, aka hardbody. She was so grateful and I was happy to assist,” Prince recalled.
Prince receiving makhaya, aka hardbody, as thank you from UGogo.
Prevention is better than cure
Prince is currently under self-quarantine, as a precaution and has this to say about his part in the fight to curb the COVID-19 tide in Mzanzi, ”I practice daily hygiene by washing my hands regularly and currently I stay indoors as much as possible. Whenever I have to go out, I make sure to maintain distance between myself and others, practice kindness and I also raise awareness of good self-care among my nearest and dearest. Take care and above all be kind and stay
positive. #ImStaying.”
A quote currently featuring on some social media pages, may have been written about Prince and his deliberate positive approach to life: “Highly contagious – kindness, patience, love, enthusiasm and a positive attitude. Do not wait to catch it from someone else. Be the carrier.”
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GOOD THOUGHTS • GOOD WORDS • GOOD DEEDS
Edited By: Erna Maré
