Ghanaian Journalist Listowel Bukarson And Family Survive Near-fatal Accident In US

Former Ashanti regional chairman of the Ghana Journalists’ Association (GJA), Listowel Yesu Bukarson, and his family have survived a road accident in the United States.

The road crash, which occurred on the Cliffdale and Reilly Road in the US town of Fayetteville in the state of North Carolina involves the family’s Honda CRV and a truck.

“My family and I had hosted friends to a July 4, US Independence Day party in our home on Beaver Run Drive. As is always the case every year, we decided to drive to the US Army base of Fort Liberty (formerly Fort Bragg) to witness the celebrations of the Independence Day fireworks,” Bukarson said in an interview.

He added: “About six minutes’ drive away from home, we ran into a traffic stop; as we waited for the traffic to turn on green so we could move, this big white pick-up truck, from the North Reilly end of the Army base, desperate to beat the red light, on top speed, possibly lost control over the steering wheel, ran over the pavement, and rammed into the driver’s side of our vehicle and smashed three other cars.”

Impact
Bukarson’s wife Agivert and daughter, Condi, who were in the car with him, sustained body pains after the impact.

“My daughter complained of pains in her left hand, back, neck, and chest, and other parts of her body,” the former sports broadcaster said, adding that: “Agivert also sustained lacerations on her right breast side. She complains of back, neck, and arm pains.”

Bukarson, who doubles as the chief executive of The Press Foundation, sustained neck injury.

“My left side, back, and especially my face and left eye where the airbags stuck hurt with excruciating pain,” he told Asaaseradio.com.

He expressed gratitude to the CEO of Tiger Eye PI and Africa’s controversial undercover journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, for reaching out after the accident.

“Anas has been supportive by way of encouragement and guidance in many ways in these past few days. As a brother and friend to my family, he has been in constant touch with my wife and daughter to ensure they are doing well,” he added.

Philanthropy work
Agivert, who is the chief executive of US-based NGO – Unlimited Cancer Care International (UCCI) – has over the years been donating products to support cancer patients in Ghana and other parts of Africa. A day before the accident, she shipped a 40-footer container of goods of donations from friends in the army and other NGOs in the US to Ghana to help support cancer patients.

“For my husband and I, we are committed to helping cancer patients in Ghana and can only hope that by the time the shipment arrives in Ghana, we will have recovered in time to see our planned charity works in parts of Ghana, including, the Ashanti Region and the northern parts of Ghana take off in grand style,” she said.

She said her daughter is traumatised, describing the incident “like a movie.”

“It happened in a flash,” Agivert, who serves in the US army recalled. “It was scary and deadly, but I thank God we are alive.”

They thanked the Fayetteville police and fire departments and the ambulance service for their swift response to provide medical support at the scene before transporting them to the Emergency Room of the Cape Fear Medical Centre for further treatment.

The family has since been put on medical observations after spending about eight hours in the emergency room.