'I tried to resuscitate her' - Tongaat man's tragic account of losing his wife

East Coast Breakfast

A Tongaat man has told East Coast Breakfast about the heartbreaking moment he lost his wife when Monday's tornado destroyed their home.
On Monday afternoon, large parts of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) were battered by damaging winds and torrential rain. Some areas, particularly in Tongaat, were devastated by a wedge tornado.
The East Coast Breakfast team, in collaboration with The Gift of the Givers, hosted a first-of-its-kind 'WhatsAppathon' on Friday morning. The event was broadcast live from the Vishwaroop Temple in the Tongaat area to raise funds for those affected.
One Tongaat resident, Viven Gounden, (pictured below) joined the East Coast Breakfast team to share his story. He told the team how his wife, Rennisha, died after the collapse of their home.
According to Gounden, he managed to shield his seven-year-old son, but the strong winds caused the ceiling to collapse.
"In one minute, everything stopped; the entire house was completely wrecked."
As a nurse, Gounden immediately attempted to resuscitate his wife, but was unable to sustain his efforts due to the severity of her injuries. Webpage