Hardlife Zvirekwi has described his return to football after hand amputation as huge testimony.
Zvirekwi was involved in a car accident on his way home which damaged his left palm. His car veered off the road after a combi crossed over to his lane.
The crash happened a few weeks before the 2018 season commenced and the midfielder had to be deregistered by his club.
In a documentary by BBC Sport, Zvirekwi revealed how it all happened and his journey to recovery.
“On my way back home there was a combi which crossed over to the lane that I was driving in, that’s when all hell broke loose.
“People were shouting and screaming when they were trying to pull me out of the car, and the hand had crushed too bad.
“They (doctors) told me to move my fingers but I couldn’t. They came back and told me that the only way to go was to amputate. I just thought, maybe this was the end of it.
“But still, deep inside of me, I just prayed if there was any chance for me to go back into the field and play again I was going to take it.”
The midfielder was taken to Parirenyatwa Hospital in the capital where his left wrist was amputated later in the day.
Two days after the surgery, Zvirekwi revealed that he was not going retire from playing football. He started rehabilitation a month later, and during the mid-season transfer window, his club registered him with the PSL.
He made his first appearance of the season on July 5, coming on as an 87th-minute substitute against Harare City.
“The rehabilitation process wasn’t easy. My family, they were always there for me trying to encourage me to push, though it was painful sometimes and I’m really grateful for that.
“It (the debut appearance) was just an out-of-this-world feeling considering that at a point in time you would have thought that this was over. When I came back, it was an emotional moment for me.”
Zvirekwi went on to score his first goal since his come back on August 11, helping his team beat Black Rhinos 1-0.
His return to action drew international interest and was described as an uplifting testimony.
To watch the video, click here.
