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| Africa crash victim returns home | Africa crash victim returns home |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A man who was badly injured in a crash in Africa, in which his baby died, has returned home from hospital and hopes to finally visit his son's grave. | A man who was badly injured in a crash in Africa, in which his baby died, has returned home from hospital and hopes to finally visit his son's grave. |
| Mervyn Humphreys and his wife Portia, from Caersws, Powys, married during the trip to Swaziland, days before a lorry smashed into their car in August 2007. | Mervyn Humphreys and his wife Portia, from Caersws, Powys, married during the trip to Swaziland, days before a lorry smashed into their car in August 2007. |
| Mr Humphreys, 38, was left paralysed down one side and his six-month-old son Cameron was killed. | Mr Humphreys, 38, was left paralysed down one side and his six-month-old son Cameron was killed. |
| Since then he has spent months recuperating in several hospitals. | Since then he has spent months recuperating in several hospitals. |
| Mrs Humphreys, a Swaziland national, spent months travelling back and forth to Cardiff, staying for five days at a time in a hotel as she visited her husband in the city's Rookwood Hospital. | Mrs Humphreys, a Swaziland national, spent months travelling back and forth to Cardiff, staying for five days at a time in a hotel as she visited her husband in the city's Rookwood Hospital. |
| He was transferred to hospital in Newtown in November, from where he had been allowed home at weekends. | He was transferred to hospital in Newtown in November, from where he had been allowed home at weekends. |
| I hope Merv will get back into society and get back to himself. This is a new life and we have to move forward Portia Humphreys | I hope Merv will get back into society and get back to himself. This is a new life and we have to move forward Portia Humphreys |
| But he was finally released from hospital on Saturday and Mrs Humphreys said she is "excited and relieved" to have him back with her permanently. | But he was finally released from hospital on Saturday and Mrs Humphreys said she is "excited and relieved" to have him back with her permanently. |
| "He loves being at home," she said. | "He loves being at home," she said. |
| "He has come to terms with what happened to him and he wants to go to his son's grave. | "He has come to terms with what happened to him and he wants to go to his son's grave. |
| "It's in a village about 10 miles away and a friend and I tried to take him but we couldn't get his wheelchair up the hill because it was muddy and raining. But we will try again." | "It's in a village about 10 miles away and a friend and I tried to take him but we couldn't get his wheelchair up the hill because it was muddy and raining. But we will try again." |
| Mrs Humphreys was driving to a safari park in the southern African country of Swaziland when the crash happened on 21 August 2007. | Mrs Humphreys was driving to a safari park in the southern African country of Swaziland when the crash happened on 21 August 2007. |
| Firefighters freed her husband while Mrs Humphreys and her son were eventually airlifted to hospital in Pretoria, South Africa, where she was told Cameron had a fractured skull. | Firefighters freed her husband while Mrs Humphreys and her son were eventually airlifted to hospital in Pretoria, South Africa, where she was told Cameron had a fractured skull. |
| Cameron Humphreys died after the accident in August 2007 | Cameron Humphreys died after the accident in August 2007 |
| At an inquest into Cameron's death in November, Powys coroner Peter Maddox recorded a verdict of accidental death. | At an inquest into Cameron's death in November, Powys coroner Peter Maddox recorded a verdict of accidental death. |
| Mr Humphreys suffered a broken leg, ankle, pelvis, jaw, ribs and a broken bone in the back of his neck and has since spent time in hospitals in Cardiff, Aberystwyth and Newtown. | Mr Humphreys suffered a broken leg, ankle, pelvis, jaw, ribs and a broken bone in the back of his neck and has since spent time in hospitals in Cardiff, Aberystwyth and Newtown. |
| He is paralysed down one side and struggles with his speech. | He is paralysed down one side and struggles with his speech. |
| The couple's home has been adapted with ramps and a special shower to ensure he can move around in his electric wheelchair, which they are waiting to be delivered. | The couple's home has been adapted with ramps and a special shower to ensure he can move around in his electric wheelchair, which they are waiting to be delivered. |
| Mr Humphreys will also have a carer visit him four times a day while his wife is in work and will continue to go to hospital for physiotherapy and speech therapy. | Mr Humphreys will also have a carer visit him four times a day while his wife is in work and will continue to go to hospital for physiotherapy and speech therapy. |
| But Mrs Humphreys said they were determined to move forward. | But Mrs Humphreys said they were determined to move forward. |
| "What happened was a shock and was very traumatic," she said. | "What happened was a shock and was very traumatic," she said. |
| 'Support' | 'Support' |
| "I have managed to come to terms with it because I'm a Christian and things like this happen. I just have to help Merv. | "I have managed to come to terms with it because I'm a Christian and things like this happen. I just have to help Merv. |
| "He is determined to get back on his feet. I have always been positive and we have had so much support from the community, who have raised money for us. | "He is determined to get back on his feet. I have always been positive and we have had so much support from the community, who have raised money for us. |
| "I hope Merv will get back into society and get back to himself. This is a new life and we have to move forward." | "I hope Merv will get back into society and get back to himself. This is a new life and we have to move forward." |