Brother of Oscar Pistorius makes 'miraculous recovery' after serious car crash

Carl Pistorius (second, right) and Aimee Pistorius (right), the siblings of South African paralympian Oscar Pistorius, sit at the High Court in Pretoria during Oscar Pistorius' trial on July 2, 2014. Oscar Pistorius's older brother Carl has made
Carl Pistorius (second, right) and Aimee Pistorius (right), the siblings of South African paralympian Oscar Pistorius, sit at the High Court in Pretoria during Oscar Pistorius' trial on July 2, 2014. Oscar Pistorius's older brother Carl has made a "miraculous recovery" after being involved in a serious road crash earlier this month, a family spokesman said on Tuesday. -- PHOTO: AFP

JOHANNESBURG (AFP) - Oscar Pistorius's older brother Carl has made a "miraculous recovery" after being involved in a serious road crash earlier this month, a family spokesman said on Tuesday.

The 29-year-old's car collided head-on with a vehicle that swerved from the opposite side of the expressway around 120km north-west of Pretoria on Aug 1.

"Carl suffered poly-trauma injuries during the accident. These included lacerations to his heart and liver and he also went into respiratory failure," Ms Anneliese Burgess said. He will likely remain in hospital for a few more weeks, but is said to be recovering.

"He has made a miraculous recovery after specialist care intervention and was discharged from ICU late last week," said Ms Burgess. "Carl is overwhelmed with gratitude for the support he has received from family, friends and the public."

Mr Carl Pistorius was acquitted in May last year of culpable homicide and reckless driving over a fatal crash in 2008 in which his vehicle collided with a motorbike driven by a woman who died in hospital a few days later.

His famous brother Oscar Pistorius, 27, is on trial accused of murdering his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in the early hours of Valentine's Day in 2013.

A verdict is expected in Oscar Pistorius's trial on Sept 11.

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