By Brendan Rees
Richard Mittra counts himself lucky.
It was only seven months ago that he survived a horrific motorbike accident. But today he’s back doing what he loves most – dancing.
The 73-year-old recalled hopping on his 250cc scooter at his home in Berwick and began heading towards Cardinia Beaconhills Golf Links in Upper Beaconsfield to play golf on the 31 November last year.
Mr Mittra had barely driven 500 metres along Inglis Road when he approached the intersection of Inglis Road and Beaconsfield-Emerald Road near Cardinia Park Hotel. It was at this point that his life was about to change.
“I lost traction because and I left the road and I ended I ended up in a culvert,” he said.
“The bike flipped over and hit me and pushed me against a tree stump. As a consequence, I broke five ribs, fractured my right hand, dislocated my left hand, damaged both my knees, punctured my left lung, and crushed my left kidney.
“I was in so much pain, I couldn’t breathe. I didn’t know at the time with my lungs that were punctured that that was the problem,” he said.
According to Mr Mittra, on the day of the accident he saw a couple of workers spraying weeds on the side of the road and chemical residue spreading to the road.
He was taken to Casey Hospital where he spent four days in intensive care and nine days in trauma.
Today, Mr Mittra has returned to his passion in ballroom and Latin dancing.
“I hadn’t dance for a long, long time,” he says. “I reached quite a good level because I had a very good teacher,” he said, adding he had taken up dancing at the age of 55.
Mr Mittra said only a few weeks ago he had seen an advertisement in the Berwick Star News for dance lessons at Balla Balla Community Centre in Cranbourne.
“Not only is it a great recreation, it’s a great way to meet people. Dancing is such a fluid sport.”
Mr Mittra says he’s also enrolled in sewing lessons. “I went out and bought myself a sewing machine, and using You Tube I started learning how to alter my trousers.
“I like to keep myself active and occupied,” he said. “I’m not one of those guys that’s ready to be a fossil yet.”
