IT remains a miracle how Cecil Bobb, 50, of Linden, Wismar, emerged alive after being hit and covered by a huge body of cascading mud in a mining pit at Sand Hills, off the Cuyuni River, two Thursdays ago.Perhaps, overwhelmed by the prospect of literally ‘getting his hand’ on that ‘string of gold’ spotted by workmen in the pit, as dredging was being undertaken, he impulsively did the unthinkable.

As the excavating bucket delved into the sandy loom, scooped up and deposited the scintillating looking stuff on the other side of where they were standing, the men gasped in excitement. But Bobb did not only gasp. Impulsively he leapt from where he was, with the intention of digging into the gold now brought above land. At that instant, he temporarily forgot that it was raining and that the soil would be loose.
But as he sprang onto the heap of mud and was rapidly making his way onto the mound, the fresh mud broke away at the base, and it came crashing down on him. That was all he remembered.
What was hair-raising, Bobb said, was that he had his battel strapped onto his back, but at the end of the ordeal, after he was salvaged and regained consciousness, the battel was crushed as ‘flat as a penny’ and all he suffered was a dislocated right hip. He was miraculously delivered from a looming death trap.
It was an uphill task, but his colleagues dug with all haste and brought him up alive – mud covered, but still breathing as usual. No one else was injured, because he was the only one who took the leap. Still marveling that he was not seriously hurt, Bobb declared, “I still can’t tell what happened.” But his colleagues were able to relate the ordeal.
He was rushed to the Bartica Hospital where he received initial treatment. The next day- Phagwah Day – he was transferred to Linden Hospital and whilst travelling down to Linden, he said, he turned and immediately felt that his joint (ball and socket) had been shifted back into place.
After being X-rayed, treated and observed at Linden for a few days, he was sent on the Georgetown Public Hospital where he is currently warded, and where the doctors will do what else has to be done.
“I can’t tell what exactly happened, but my experience was nothing short of a miracle, and I am giving God the praise,” Bobb asserted.

By Shirley Thomas