The heroic Hanover Park mom who risked her life to save her neighbour’s laaitie in a gang shooting, has lost her leg after doctors were forced to carry out an amputation.
After spending a week in hospital, Rushana Theunissen, 42, has undergone several operations which included repairs to her kidney and, now, the removal of her left leg.
The mom of four was hailed a hero this week after she bravely shielded a three-year-old boy as skollies fired a hail of bullets in Silica Walk during a drive-by shooting on Sunday night.
It is believed that gunmen sought revenge on a skurk living in the same street and had planned to kill him, but instead they only shot him in the foot and wounded three innocent mense.
Sister Latiefa Atkins, 37, says herself, Rushana and two other women were sitting outside their homes kuiering when a white SUV came down the road and started firing randomly.
Rushana then grabbed klein Jawyn Peters and threw herself over him to prevent him from being hit.
The little boy then managed to run to his mom but he was struck in his left arm.
He has since been discharged from hospital and, thankfully, no permanent damage was caused.
Rushana’s daughter Azraa says her mother underwent several life-saving operations after doctors found that one of the bullets had ripped through her kidney and a second had damaged an artery in her leg.
“She is still in ICU and they took the breathing machines out so far.
“She went for operations when the doctors found the bullet destroyed her artery in her leg, and so they had to cut off the leg at the knee.
“She is doing well and can speak a little bit but is not fully recovered,” Azraa explains.
“We took her a copy of the Daily Voice and she just smiled the whole time.
“She understands that her leg is gone, but says she would do it again to save a child.”
On Thursday, Rushana went for yet another operation and received a surprise visit from Jawyn’s mom Bronwyn, who arrived to thank her as she was taken out of theatre.
“They had to take her in for her kidney and to cover the place on her leg where they removed the bottom half. We are very grateful that she is alive and is on the road to recovery,” Azraa adds.
Police spokesperson Andrè Traut confirms no arrests have been made for the shooting.
Meanwhile, residents in Silica Walk told the Daily Voice that 19-year-old Rowan Martin, who was also wounded by the skote, is in a critical condition as nine of his organs have failed.