AFTER surviving a near-death experience, gogo Caroline Sithole can now say fitness saved her life.
The 85-year-old from Tembisa, Ekurhuleni, is known as Mama One Leg to her fellow members of the Bophelong Fitness Club (BFC), which she started in her garage in 2016.
Her story dates back to five years ago when was diagnosed with heart failure.
At the time, doctors had little to no hope that she would make it out alive given her age.
"While I was in hospital, I got a call from BFC leader who asked if I was okay. When I told her I wasn't and broke the news to her, she told me to go to the toilet and do an exercise," she said.
"I kept on praying to God, begging Him to leave the hospital even if it meant going home and dying like they said. It was fine.
"But I knew that the God I believe in would let me live longer, longer than the years the doctors gave me," Caroline said.
Going home, her mindset changed. Gogo Caroline knew she had to fight for her life which was when she started going to the gym and attending the club regularly.
She said her instructor, Cathrine Mathebe (68), used a combination of aerobics and African dance moves to help beat lifestyle diseases.
It was almost impossible for the doctor to believe Caroline was the same person who was at the brink of her death when she went back for her check-ups.
"The doctor told me to keep on exercising, to eat well, not to stress myself, read the Bible and be committed to God. And I have been doing that every day," she said.
Five years later, gogo Caroline still keeps an active lifestyle.
Caroline who was a bedridden for more than 10 years after suffering from arthritis and high blood pressure started the club in 2016 in her garage with merely 10 members, but the number grew over the years.
"We have been doing this for seven years and we are alive. I am 85 years old. When you look at me I look like a gogo, but I don't speak like one. I am healed and I have changed," Caroline said.
