Man Fights Crocodile With Bare Hands To Save Son [PHOTO] »

A Mutoko father dived into a river and fought a
crocodile with his bare hands to save the life of his 11-
year-old son who had been seized while crossing
Nyaitengwa River. Mr Tafadzwa Kachere and his son,
Tapiwa (11) were both seriously injured in the battle
and were yesterday admitted at Chitungwiza Central
Hospital.
Tapiwa’s left leg had to be
amputated, while his father’s left
hand is badly hurt. Mr Kachere, who
stays in Katiyo 1 Village under Chief
Nyajina, said the crocodile attacked
while they were on their way home
from his garden. “When we were
coming from the garden, I was
walking in front and the boy was
following me.

After crossing the river, I heard the
boy screaming for help and I rushed
to rescue him. I could see him
struggling to free himself as the
crocodile kept on holding on to his
leg.

“I took the risk and dived into the water and joined the fight
trying to force open the jaws with my hands. I failed to open
the crocodile’s mouth and resorted to poking its mouth with
reeds while seated on its back. I instructed my son to hold
on to the reeds as I continued poking into the crocodile’s
mouth until it released the boy,” said Mr Kachere.
But when the reptile freed Tapiwa, it turned on the father.
"I struggled with it until we both got out of the water and I
was still on top of it. I poked its eyes several times until it
released my injured hand,” he said.
After the attack, the two were taken to Nyadire Hospital for
emergency first aid before being moved to Chitungwiza
Central Hospital.
Mr Kachere appealed for assistance to buy an artificial limb
for his son.
“I appeal to well-wishers for assistance in the purchase of an
artificial leg for my son. He still wants to go to school and up
to now he still thinks he will get his leg back.
“We lied to him that the leg was temporarily being removed
for treatment purposes and I do not know how to break the
news to him.”
What a pitiable dismapisma displayed by a loving dad to a
dieing son but still, this can only happen in Zimbabwe.