LATE firefighter Henry Knox was the second partner that his wife-to-be had lost in an accident at work
Frances van Vuuren, 47, wept bitterly at her home in Akasia, north of Pretoria, about Knox's death.
"I'm not strong enough at the moment," she said.
Knox, 42, died at the Unitas Hospital in Centurion on Monday after his boat capsized while he was trying to rescue flood victims in Centurion.
Van Vuuren's first husband died at work five years ago as a result of an electric fault.
Van Vuuren said she and Knox talked about getting married in November. They went to get married in Madagascar last month, but marriage paperwork stopped them from tying the knot on the island.
Knox, an experienced firefighter from the city's northern fire station in Wonderboom, had served for five years as part of the Swift Water Unit, a specialised squad of trained divers.
He put a boat into a bulging Hennops River in Centurion on Monday morning and began searching for people who were swept away in flash floods.
But his boat turned over in a vortex of water and he was sucked under the torrent.
Divers saved him from the water and he was airlifted to Unitas Hospital but he died shortly after arriving there.
A tearful Irene van der Walt managed a smile as she described her brother as the "naughty one" in the family who was "a very good swimmer and diver".
Knox's firefighting partner, Ian "Makkie" MacMillan, said Knox was an extremely hard worker who "lived for his job".
The two worked together and would go fishing together.
MacMillan proudly said the pair had saved many lives.
Assistant chief fire officer JC van der Sa who worked closely with Knox said: "He kept you on your toes.
"When you were at work, it was always 'Where is Henry?' If you didn't see him, he was getting ready for a joke. So we were always looking out for him."
Gauteng MEC for public safety Dikeledi Lehobye and the department's Brigadier General Mahlomola Manganye went to pay their respects to the grieving family yesterday.
"We've lost a brave, brilliant angel," Manganye said.
Her sentiments were shared by Ané Bruwer from Tshwane disaster management.
"It's not everyone who goes into the river, only specially trained people can," she said.
"Knox's death is really a big loss for the city and a real tragedy."
Knox's funeral service will take place on Friday at 11am at Charis Christian Church in Wonderboom.
Knox 'lived for his job'
LATE firefighter Henry Knox was the second partner that his wife-to-be had lost in an accident at work
Frances van Vuuren, 47, wept bitterly at her home in Akasia, north of Pretoria, about Knox's death.
"I'm not strong enough at the moment," she said.
Knox, 42, died at the Unitas Hospital in Centurion on Monday after his boat capsized while he was trying to rescue flood victims in Centurion.
Van Vuuren's first husband died at work five years ago as a result of an electric fault.
Van Vuuren said she and Knox talked about getting married in November. They went to get married in Madagascar last month, but marriage paperwork stopped them from tying the knot on the island.
Knox, an experienced firefighter from the city's northern fire station in Wonderboom, had served for five years as part of the Swift Water Unit, a specialised squad of trained divers.
He put a boat into a bulging Hennops River in Centurion on Monday morning and began searching for people who were swept away in flash floods.
But his boat turned over in a vortex of water and he was sucked under the torrent.
Divers saved him from the water and he was airlifted to Unitas Hospital but he died shortly after arriving there.
A tearful Irene van der Walt managed a smile as she described her brother as the "naughty one" in the family who was "a very good swimmer and diver".
Knox's firefighting partner, Ian "Makkie" MacMillan, said Knox was an extremely hard worker who "lived for his job".
The two worked together and would go fishing together.
MacMillan proudly said the pair had saved many lives.
Assistant chief fire officer JC van der Sa who worked closely with Knox said: "He kept you on your toes.
"When you were at work, it was always 'Where is Henry?' If you didn't see him, he was getting ready for a joke. So we were always looking out for him."
Gauteng MEC for public safety Dikeledi Lehobye and the department's Brigadier General Mahlomola Manganye went to pay their respects to the grieving family yesterday.
"We've lost a brave, brilliant angel," Manganye said.
Her sentiments were shared by Ané Bruwer from Tshwane disaster management.
"It's not everyone who goes into the river, only specially trained people can," she said.
"Knox's death is really a big loss for the city and a real tragedy."
Knox's funeral service will take place on Friday at 11am at Charis Christian Church in Wonderboom.
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