A South African is honouring her late husband, who passed away in a tragic accident, by continuing his charitable work.
Eastern Cape, South Africa – Doctor George Snyman was both a brilliant wildlife as well as a domestic animal veterinarian. He had a passion for animal rescue, rehabilitation, and sterilisation to prevent unwanted litters.
Tragically he passed away in a helicopter accident last year.
George moved from Vivo to the Eastern Cape to do game capture work and set up his wildlife practice.
“He was a veterinarian. He was just an incredible human being. I know everyone is supposed to say that when you pass away but really, I can’t think of anyone who was better than George. Everyone just adored him.” Tracey Eke, his cousin, explains.
George wasn’t just any veterinarian; he was a dyslexic one. To be specific, he had dyslexia dyscalculia and Irlen Syndrome. So you can imagine the difficulty of trying to get through veterinarian school with learning difficulties but he did, and he became an ambassador for the Red Apple Dyslexia Foundation. In fact this year he was to receive an award from them in a gala event to give hope to all the people and children affected by this.
His wife, Stacey went to receive the award in his honour a few weeks after he passed away.
“Stacey is beautiful. She is strong. She is compassionate. They were the best team. She’s a veterinarian nurse,” Tracey Eke says.
They met at Onderstepoort and were married on the 4th of August 2014. On the 15th of August 2018, George left to go dart wildlife from a helicopter. That helicopter hit power lines, and George was strapped in but hanging out to dart. The aircraft landed on George’s side. He didn’t survive.
“Because he was so deeply loved and respected by all who knew him, it was quite a big thing and was on the news and in papers. I stood by my cousin Stacey, this golden girl who had had the world at her feet and watched her choose a coffin for my friend. It was surreal. This isn’t supposed to happen,” Tracey Eke explains.
For the last few years, George did a lot of pro-bono work, and they took part in spayathons as a team. Last year they did the massive one in PE that the Mayor organised. They promised to continue every year.
“Their house was basically a menagerie of disables special needs animals that they saved, even a baby blesbuck George deliver via C-section to a dead mother and gave CPR to as well,” Tracey Eke says.
But he can no longer dedicate his skills and time to making a difference and so his wife is going to make a difference for him on what would have been his 34th birthday.
Stacey put together a crowdfunding campaign to raise funds to have 34 dogs and cats from impoverished areas sterilised.
“The organisation that will receive the funds and choose the animals is an organisation which we genuinely admire and work closely with, Domestic Animal Care-Ellen Dunning NPO. (Please check out their facebook page if you are looking to adopt a new family member)
They are based in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, and they spend their time, sterilising, treating, feeding, rescuing and rehoming animals from abusive or impoverished situations.
By sterilising 34 animals, we will prevent hundreds of unwanted litters which means we shall save thousands from a lifetime of suffering,” Stacey Snyman explains.
Stacey reached her goal amount in just a matter of days, and was so thankful that friends, family and strangers are helping her honour the memory and fantastic work of one of the world’s most compassionate souls!
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He will not be forgotten, he was a remarkable person, a legend!