‘n Dierbare eggenote, suster, vriendin en skoolmaat het ons verlaat. Myrtle du Toit-Louw is Sondagoggend 17 Mei, na meer as twee dekades van ‘n bittere, dog moedige stryd teen Veelvuldige Sklerose, in Vredendal oorlede.
Reeds in haar tweede lewensjaar het Myrtle geleer dat daar ‘n opdraande pad vir haar voorlê toe sy teen Polio moes stry. Die virus het haar in so ‘n mate verlam dat sy dubbeld kon vou, soos sy altyd gesê het. Maar alhoewel sy nie die spreekwoordelike huppelkind van Lanquedoc, die plaas in die Klein-Drakenstein waar sy grootgeword het was nie, sou sy vasberade volhou om haar nooit te laat onderkry nie. Met haar inherente, bogemiddelde intelligensie het sy geneeshere verstom op die manier wat sy stelselmatig haarself geleer het om haar liggaampie so te manipuleer dat sy op die bed kon balanseer.
Dit som Myrtle se karakter en lewe op. Myrtle never gave up. After undergoing certain surgical procedures as a young child she could join us at La Rochelle Primary to share a normal school life with her school buddies. From those early school days it became evident that Myrtle was of another calibre, both in sport as well as academic domain. Considering the limited range of physical activities she could exercise, swimming became a logical choice. And Myrtle was excellent at swimming. Not being able to kick with her legs, she managed a mermaid style of propelling the lower part of her body, combined with the enormous strength of her arms, to glide through the water gracefully, always with the aim to win. Losing was never an option. The little two-year-old Polio victim of 1955, who had taught herself to balance herself on her bed, worked out a method of how to become a spectacular swimming champion and was awarded Springbok colours in 1970.
Met ‘n aansteeklike entoesiasme en oorborrelende energie wat ‘n mens uitgeput het net deur na haar te kyk, was Myrtle met haar positiewe gesindheid, ‘n groot aanwins vir die Springbok paraplegiese span. In 1970 het sy Suid Afrika in die bekende Wêreldspele vir Parapleë in Stoke Mandeville, Engeland verteenwoordig en 3 medaljes ingepalm; twee silwer en een brons. Op die verwoestingspad, het Myrtle in 1971 gedurende haar eerste jaar as B.A.-tale student aan die Universiteit van Kaapstad, nog steeds die swemrekords laat spat. En wanneer Myrtle nie in die gronddam op die plaas geoefen het nie, het sy af en toe daar perdgery, al was dit dan nou ook net om haar perdegekke kleinsussie Christine te plesier.
Die gronddam het sy nadele gehad. Myrtle het dus gereeld as lid van die Paarlse swemklub in die munisipale swembad in Faurestraat, net onderkant La Rochelle, gaan oefen. Dit kan wees dat ‘n aantreklike jong, HJS-Westelike-Provinsie trekpleister in die Klub, ook ‘n groot aandeel in haar sukses gehad het, want toe Len du Toit ‘n paar jaar later Myrtle se getroue eggenoot en sielsgenoot geword het, het hy haar langer as 42 jaar bygestaan, ondersteun en versorg.
Myrtle was a serious academic and collected degrees pretty much in the same way as her swimming records and medals. After obtaining a BA degree in languages from the University of Cape Town, and an LL.B degree from the University of Stellenbosch, she was admitted as an advocate to the Cape Bar. But having decided that she was not cut out for that “rat race” as she called it, opted for legal consulting. Her legal knowledge, combined with credits in B. Comm and an MBA degree, made Myrtle a fierce opponent in legal consulting, working for industrial, insurance and commercial giants like ADE, Old Mutual, Jowell and Foschini. Always keen to venture into the unknown, she and her husband established a very successful company, but eventually settled for early retirement to accommodate her debilitating condition.
With her unconditional love for other people, Myrtle unselfishly remained a pillar of strength in the community; always ready to assist in church activities and organising ceremonies and parties for fellow-paraplegics. She was the epitome of self-discipline, perseverance, and endurance, although willing to throw all of that overboard the moment she was in the company of her beloved canine friends. But that was Myrtle, our multi-faceted wife, sister, friend and schoolmate.
Len, Christine, Elsa, Lucretia & 1970 Larries
