In Nakodu village, Koro, they call Isoa Conua the miracle man of Severe Tropical Cyclone Winston.

For the people of Nakodu Village, the unbelievable events that unfolded in full view of those who left him for dead, are still wondering: How a man crippled by polio survived the surging strength of tidal waves that drowned their homes.

Mr Conua was locked in his home by his brothers knowing the slight chance he had against the surging waves that washed away everything in their path.

The burden of carrying him was not an option, says village headman Tomasi Rayaseyase, while ducking from flying debris and the encroaching waves.

Throughout the hours that followed, Mr Rayaseyase kept calling names till he realised his crippled cousin was the only one missing.

“That was when his brother turned to me and said Isoa is dead,” Mr Rayaseyase said.

An argument broke out among them at the peak of the cyclone and tidal waves surging that had flooded the entire village.

“I don’t have any logical explanation about the situation, but his home withstood the force of the strong currents, the uprooted trees and other debris were pilling at the front of his home to form a wall, reaching well above the roof,” he said.

“From the top of the hill we could see the front of the house came in full view when the pile of debris divided the last of the tidal wave surge while other homes were still flooded.”

A whole roof floating by struck the house from the side and remained for a few minutes before the house caved in and waters engulfed the house.

“Just when we thought his body wouldn’t be found when the same roof surfaced with my crippled cousin seated on top.”

The roof he said floated towards onlookers, dumbfounded and staring in disbelief till the roof cast itself on dry ground.

“Isoa crawled onto the dry land and began chatting out loud in jumbled language he uses to communicate with his us,” Mr Rayaseyase said.

“At the same time, the weather cleared, the grey sky opened to the sunny rays of the afternoon and Isoa’s chattering continued from the dry area amidst shocked faces still staring at him.”

Nine months later, the same jumbled and chattering could still be heard as he continues to scream at vehicles crossing Nakodu.

No one knows what he says, only the sharp crack of his laugh for you to understand the satisfaction he gets while staring back at shocked faces of commuters he screamed at like a real life candid camera prank he played from the side of the dusty road.

He still smiles at any approaching life, even the dogs, and will continue thanking anyone who cares to break bread with him until the sighting of another vehicle when his mood would change.

Edited by Naisa Koroi

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