Good Morning Angels: Help for brothers after both parents pass away from COVID-19

BACKGROUND: Brothers Billy (24) and Dewald (13) Badenhorst from Boksburg buried their father, Billy senior, this past Monday (1 February) after he died of COVID-19 complications on the 21st of January. This was their second funeral, as Dewald’s mom and Billy’s stepmom, Maliske, also died from COVID-19 complications just five days earlier.  

This has left 13-year-old Dewald, who is starting high school, as an orphan. At the age of just 24, Billy has taken guardianship of his little brother. They all live with Billy’s girlfriend, Charné’s parents.  

They are still coming to terms with the immense emotional loss of losing their two healthy parents within a week. They have been overwhelmed by the support of Charné’s family and their community. The school will assist with school fees and school uniforms for Dewald, but Billy is very worried about Dewald’s health. He suffers from epilepsy, which leaves him disorientated and with temporary amnesia after attacks. He uses medicine and is under medical treatment, but without medical aid, Billy does not know how they will cover this and other expenses. Their parents had both lost their jobs before their unexpected deaths and could not keep up with paying policies and premiums.

That’s why a family friend and teacher at Dewald’s new high school, Sandy Dreyer, reached out on their behalf to Good Morning Angels.

REQUEST FOR: Billy and Dewald Badenhorst from Boksburg 

REQUEST FROM: Sandy Dreyer  

ANGEL 1: The Good Morning Angels Fund NPC

SPONSORING: The GMA Fund will assist Billy and Dewald with a donation of R20,000 towards Dewald’s medication and medical treatment as well as other needs to start high school. 

ORIGINAL REQUEST:

Goeie dag,

Ek is Sandy Dreyer en hierdie briefie het een van ons graad 8 leerders se broer vir my gestuur.

Billy se meisie is ‘n skoolvriendin van my dogter, so hul lê my na aan die hart.

Almal probeer help, maar ek kry die kinders so jammer want dit is hartsverskeurend dat hul twee, gesonde ouers wat nog jonk was, op so manier moes verloor.

 Billy en sy meisie is maar redelik angstig met die groot verantwoordelikheid wat nou op hul skouers lê. 

Dewald is ‘n skaam, teruggetrokke Graad 8 seun en ek kry hom bitter jammer.

Dit sal so waardeer word as Good Morning Angels hul kan bystaan. 

Baie dankie vir wat julle doen vir die mense wat dit die nodigste daar buite het.

Groete

Sandy Dreyer

Hier volg Billy se briefie: 

Dewald is a 13-year old going on 14, who lost both his parents in a weeks time due to Covid. He lost his mom on 16th January 2021 and he lost his father on the 21st of January 2021. 

Me (I am Dewald's older brother - Billy) and my girlfriend(Chanté), have taken Dewald into our care, but we still live with my girlfriend's parents because she is still studying to be a teacher. I am the only one working at the moment because my girlfriend is a student.  

Dewald also gets epileptic attacks where he gets temperory amnesia. When he gets the attacks he forgets his relatives, his whereabouts aswell as who he is. He gets medication every month, but we don't have medical aid and the medication is costly because we did not budget for taking on a child after the sudden death of both his parents.  

Dewald is also starting high school this year and I think the year is already overwhelming as is without adding the trauma of losing both his parents. 

Both Dewald's parents were healthy and well on Christmas and New years, no one expected that they would pass away this year. Dewald's world and security has been ripped away from his life. 

Dewald's parents were both tested positive for Covid. After they tested positive for Covid, Dewald's mom had trouble breathing where they had to call an ambulance to rush her to the hospital in the early morning hours. His father was also admitted in BBH hospital in Boksburg. His mother had passed away in the hospital and his father could not handle the death of his wife and booked himself out of the hospital. Dewald's father had passed away a few days later in his room where we had to rush to the scene to take away his father's corpse. 

We took Dewald into our care on that day and we have been taking care of him ever since. Its taking some getting used to since I am 24 and my girlfriend is 20  and we never expected to become parents at so young age especially not to a teenager, but I believe he is also a blessing sent to fulfill our lives with more adventure. If Good Morning Angels could maybe help us with anything that would be a massive blessing. 

Groete,

Billy Badenhorst 

Billy, Dewald and Charné

Image credit: Supplied