Videographer ‘Ruff’ suffers broken legs

Well-known visual artist and Clare Valley resident Orville Samuel, one of the people injured in the auto collision on Saturday night, says that he is grateful to be alive, despite his two broken legs.

When SEARCHLIGHT visited Samuel at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital yesterday, the videographer and photographer,{{more}} known to most people as “Ruff,” said that notwithstanding the pain he was experiencing, he was happy to still be with friends and family.

“It coulda be worse but all that matters is that I still have life. I just want to thank God because the most high have plans for me,” Ruff said from his bed at the male surgical ward.

Recounting what started out as an ordinary night, Ruff said that he had brought his three-year-old daughter and a family friend to a barbecue that was taking place at the bus stop across from a New Democratic Party (NDP) public meeting, which was being held on the Clare Valley hard court.

He said that after some time, he decided to take his daughter and friend home and returned to the area where the barbecue was taking place.

“So I just take a stroll up and I was there by Nettle, by the bus stop, over the opposite side of the road. When I go there, I didn’t stay too long.

“Then I left the barbecue and I walk over to the car taking in what was going on the court. I was at the front door of the car; my whole body was over the car lean over with my arms over the roof, and my whole back turn to the road,” Ruff recalled.

Samuel said that he did not pay much attention to the people who were on both sides of the vehicle; some leaning on the car while others were on a low wall that was between the car and the hard court, separated by a drain.

He said he did not see the deceased, Edgar Cruickshank, while he was leaning on the car.

According to Ruff, moments before the impact, he decided to leave the area and head back to his mother’s shop, not too far away, but it was a decision he made seconds too late.

“it wasn’t too long after that, I decide to leave and then I just hear the sound of the engine and then I feel the impact.

“The car hit me first before it hit anybody else and thing, I got the point of impact.

“I felt myself moving forward and try to get my balance, then I realised I was on the ground. I was feeling real pain, so I looked down and see my legs them and that is when I realized that I get lash and something was wrong with my foot them.

“I don’t know if I was under something, but I used all my strength to drag myself and then somebody came to my assistance. I heard a lot of screaming and then some people came to my assistance and tried to lift me up and carry me in a pick-up,” Ruff recalled.

“A lot of things flashed before my eyes.”

Ruff said that it was not until he got to the hospital, that he was made fully aware of what took place.

He said that he was in the bed next to Cruickshank when the Questelles resident died from the injuries he sustained in the smash up.

The videographer said that doctors told him that he would be off his feet for more than six months, and would require surgery and even staples in his injured left leg.

He said that he has heard all the theories about what caused the incident, but he was not in a position to speculate.

He noted that what was more important to him was still being around for his family, and he was grateful to all who had visited him and showed love.

“It could be political or non political; I really don’t care about that, what really matters is my life, that is what’s is important to me that I’m still alive and I have people to live for.”