MUMBAI: A plucky 14-year-old’s altruism is resonating in the aftermath of floods that hit Konkan recently. The girl, Sakshi Dabhekar, from Raigad lost a leg while saving her neighbour’s 2-month-old boy as a wall was about to collapse amid torrential rain.
On July 22, Sakshi noticed that the wall of the house was collapsing and Uphale’s two-month-old grandson was sleeping nearby at his home in Kevnale village of Poladpur taluka. She lunged towards the baby to save him. While the baby got out of harm’s way, her left leg got caught under the rubble for hours till she was rescued. The boy is from the Uphale family who lives in the neighbourhood.
After being treated at a local hospital, she was referred to MGM Hospital in Vashi and finally to KEM Hospital in Parel last week, where doctors had to amputate the leg. to stop the spread of infection.
Sakshi, a ninth standard student of Deole High School in Poladpur, has been a rank-holder at school. An avid athlete, she has won various awards in kho-kho, kabaddi and running competitions at the taluka-level. Sakshi told TOI on Monday that she would like to play at the state and national level once she gets back on her feet again.
KEM dean Dr Hemant Deshmukh said the amputation was inevitable as her leg was fully crushed. “She can be fitted with an advanced artificial leg that will let her walk, run and jump. It will take months to a year, but it’s possible,” he said.
On Monday, mayor Kishori Pednekar, health committee head Rajul Patel and a corporator helped her with financial aid. Her uncle said they hope to raise funds to fit her with the prosthetic leg.
