Lara’s legacy will live on

PRAYERS continue to pour in for Pongola’s Dedekind family as they struggle to come to terms with the death of their eldest daughter, Lara, who succumbed to her injuries from a car accident in Louwsberg two weeks ago.

The accident left both Lara and her sister Amy in comas and fighting for their lives.

People throughout Zululand and in Vryheid where Lara and Amy attend school, have been offering their support, thoughts and prayers.

While Amy awoke from her coma a few days after the accident and is starting to recover, hers will be a long road to recovery.

Lara, however, was declared brain dead a week after the accident, which left the family with a heartbreaking decision.

‘We have been praying continuously for a miracle for Lara, but the miracle we had in mind was the one where she wakes up, gets up, walks out and starts doing God’s work.

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‘But it seems God had other plans for her.’

This family’s Facebook message followed the diagnoses of three independent doctors that nothing could be medically done for Lara.

Parents, Mark and Telani concluded that organ donation would be the only decision that would make sense.

According to the family Lara had told them just a few days before the accident that should she ever be connected to machines, they should be switched off.

‘We are giving praise to her life by letting her be a miracle in somebody else’s.

‘We said goodbye with a brokenness, so hard to explain, but Lara will be saving at least five lives.’

Lara would have celebrated her 18th birthday last Friday.

Messages of support for the family have been flooding in to the Facebook page.

‘God bless you and your family. You have been through so much, yet your posts always seem like you are optimistic and at peace. I will keep on praying for both of you and Amy and for your precious daughter

Lara to rest in peace. Such a beautiful child,’ wrote Chantal Croaster.

‘Great strength to you. We had such an emotional awards this evening at Pionier. One thing you can be sure of is that you are in every parent, child and teacher’s prayers. And Lara and Amy are really loved!

The children talk with so much love for Lara and we pray for Amy’s speedy recovery. May God lead and protect every step of this difficult road that you walk,’ said Tarina Pretorius Marais.

While Amy has a difficult road ahead of her, she continues to make strides toward recovery.

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