Injured Cape Breton police officer returning home after Cuba mishap

A Cape Breton Regional Police officer who is recovering from head injuries in a Cuban hospital will soon be back in Canada.

Const. Brad Maxner remains in the intensive care unit of a hospital in Havana. He suffered a skull fracture and brain injury in a fall on April 5.

“He’ll be travelling back to Canada this week,” said Andrea Martin, Brad’s cousin.

Martin said Maxner will be flown home by Life Flight Transport to the neurological unit at a Halifax hospital.

Martin said her cousin is doing much better and has been talking.

Maxner, his wife Lindsey and children Zoey, 11, and Avery, 9, were in Cuba to attend a family wedding. On their first night at the resort, Maxner fell in the bathroom.

On April 8, Maxner had a CT scan and doctors performed surgery to remove part of his skull to allow the brain to expand properly.

During the procedure, a brain bleed was discovered turning a two-hour surgery into a six-hour surgery to repair the bleed.

Since the surgery Maxner has continued to improve daily.

Martin said Maxner is surrounded by family including wife Lindsey, brother Jeff and father John.

Martin has organized a gofundme account to help the family with medical costs and rehabilitation.

As of Monday afternoon, $15,000 had been raised.