A letter of gratitude connects two families after five decades

1972 ACCIDENT

- NADIA KHAN [e-mail]

UNITED after five decades, are from left, Sandra Govender, Anitha Gajraj, Navitha Gajraj, Gopal Govender and his wife, Poobie Govender. Navitha Gajraj is holding the framed 'thank you' letter. I Supplied

TWO families whose lives intersected during a tragic car accident in 1972, have reunited after almost 54 years.

When a “thank you” letter was discovered during the Covid-19 lockdown in 2020, it sparked a search that brought together the family of a man who saved the life of a toddler, and the now 55-year-old woman who survived.

The families of Gopal Govender, 80, and Navikishore Gajraj, who passed away in 2018 at the age of 72, have now united after the March 1972 car crash.

On the day of the accident, Govender's daughter, Sandra Govender, who was about 18 months old, was ejected from the car through the windscreen.

She was found unresponsive metres away from the scene and was resuscitated by a nurse, who lived in the area. Sandra and her father were taken to hospital by Gajraj.

About three months later, Govender searched for Gajraj and the nurse, to present them each with a typed letter of appreciation, and a pair of ceramic bird ornaments.

However, Govender only found Gajraj. The nurse had moved out of the area and her gift of the ornaments remained in Govender's home.

In 2020, the letter was found by Gajraj's daughter, Navitha, sparking her desire to meet “Baby Sandra”. Her father had told her the story when she was a child. Navitha posted the letter on Facebook.