'Dedicated’ medic Paul Herbst ‘wouldn't stop until the job was done’

'Dedicated’ medic Paul Herbst ‘wouldn't stop until the job was done’

Friends and colleagues of local medic Paul Herbst say his death is still hard to believe.

local medic Paul Herbst
Facebook: Medi Response

Herbst, who was with Ballito-based emergency services group Medi Response, passed away a day after returning from Türkiye.


He had been part of a South African rescue team that helped to search for survivors of the recent earthquake.


Local resident Nazir Saddack had known Herbst for eight years.


He says when the news of his passing reached him, he thought it was a hoax.


"I literally sat back when it was confirmed that is was him. The community is still reeling in shock. Last night there was a moment of silence with a motorcade that took place in the Ballito/Salt Rock area and the turnout was absolutely phenomenal.”


READ: Tributes pour in as Medi Response's Paul Herbst passes away


For Neil Raath, Herbst was a shoulder to lean on when his son and mother-in-law were involved in what he says was a horrific accident.


"Paul reached out to me and gave me comfort and hope and said this was going to be okay; It’s bad but my people are there, we are going to make this right. For that hour when we didn’t know what was happening, it was very traumatic, and he kept us at peace."


Warrant officer Clinton Odayar met Herbst 16 years ago when he worked as a reservist with Umhlali SAPS before becoming a medic.


He's described him as a man of determination and who wouldn't stop until the job was done.


"The great impact Paul had on my life was imparting his search and rescue skills onto me."


Samantha Meyrick from IPSS Medical Rescue says Herbst worked with them for some time.


"His passing is a great loss to the emergency, medical and the search and rescue communities. His loss will be mourned by IPSS Medical and he will be remembered for the man he was."

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