$237,000 raised to bring Kiwi woman home from Bali
AUCKLAND: The Givealittle page for Kiwi mother Abby Hartley fighting for her life in Bali has closed as the family look to bring their loved one home in a private jet next week.
The page was set up to help cover $268,000 of medical bills and travel but after at reached $237,000 the family said they would come up with the rest.
Hartley (41) was rushed into emergency surgery after falling ill on her first day of her ‘‘second honeymoon’’ with husband Richard earlier this month.
She went on to develop acute respiratory distress syndrome and caught a severe infection which caused one of her lungs to collapse.
Her story has gained traction all over the world.
Now, thanks to the support of the public, the family’s luck may be turning.
Mr Hartley told Newstalk ZB yesterday he had been talking to an Australasian company about how his wife could be flown home in a private jet.
‘‘We don’t have all her drugs available immediately and they can only carry so much, so it’s working out the logistics.’’
He said the company was waiting for the correct doctors and nurses to accompany his wife.
Mrs Hartley was now out of an induced coma and working to breathe completely on her own. While she rests in hospital in Nusa Dua, Denpasar, her family wait for the green light.
Mr Hartley said it would cost about $170,000 to fly her home and that would be funded by the money raised from the Givealittle page.
‘‘We have been blown away by how much the donations have been increased.’’
Yesterday, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern stood firm on the Government not being able to step in after Mr Hartley wrote to her office asking for help to bring his wife home.
The Prime Minister said the situation was ‘‘deeply distressing’’ and was a case where their insurance company should step up.
Mr Hartley said it made the family’s mind boggle ‘‘as to why they don’t understand that the insurance will not pay out’’.
In the last week, there has been a dramatic surge in funds donated to Mrs Hartley’s cause, from about $85,000 on Monday to nearly $237,000 yesterday.
The family said she was showing good progress and her doctors were impressed with how she was yesterday.
‘‘This was good to hear and put smiles on our faces . . . we are so close to bringing mum home,’’ the family said on Givealittle.