Rouvaun Smit leaves hospital as long road to recovery begins

Veteran South African horseracing commentator Rouvaun Smit left the Vincent Pallotti Rehabilitation Centre on Wednesday, 24 May to continue the next chapter of his recovery at home following major spinal surgery on 9 March.

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Still confined to a wheelchair, Smit returns home 10 weeks after surgery following an accident at home.

Full of smiles, Smit told the Sporting Post that he could not wait to get back to his family and the relative normalities of home life.

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“This experience has been an eye-opener in so many respects. We don’t always realise how fragile we are and how life can change in the blink of an eye. Please allow me to thank the Doctors and Staff of both the Kingsbury Hospital and the Vincent Pallotti, as well as the many racing folk from here and internationally who contacted me to send good wishes. My heart has been touched and it’s great to know that so many stakeholders and members of the public care as they do.”

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With dwindling medical aid resources and bills piling up, an appeal was made by the family via Back A Buddy and the response thereto has been ‘nothing short of amazing’ in the words of Smit’s wife, Rachelle.

“It is not an easy matter to put one’s pride in the pocket, but this has knocked us badly and I’d like to thank every single donor who has given so generously via the Back-A-Buddy from the bottom of my heart. It is deeply appreciated – more than anybody could understand. It’s a long road yet with the employment of a carer and the related costs. Again, thank you so much,” added Rouvaun Smit.

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Smit, a born-and-bred Capetonian, has called races from Hollywoodbets Kenilworth to Epsom Racecourse in Britain.

The SAPeople website sends its well wishes to Rouvaun Smit.