URGENT APPEAL TO BRING SON HOME
Family is forced to foot bill to treat and fly back balcony-fall victim as insurance company refuses to pay out due to COVID
A Sunderland man who fell from a balcony while on holiday in Turkey remains on life support as his family continue their urgent fundriasing appeal to cover the costs of his treatment.
Ryan Collier ,34, from Millfield, flew out to Turkish resort Marmaris in early October for a holiday with partner Donna Noble.
But within day so farriving, the security worker fell from a balcony of the four-storey Sun Apart Hotel where he was staying.
He was taken to a private hospital in Turkey where he remains on life support after suffering a cardiac arrest.
His family say that Ryan has a fractured skull, swelling of the brain and a broken neck as well as multiple other injuries.
Parents Brian and Elizabeth Collier have flown to Turkey to be by their son’s bedside, while family in Sunderland fundraise to cover medical expenses.
A Go Fund Me page has been set up by sister-in-law Bev Jones, 39, has now raised £7,755.
But the family say they urgently need more to cover the cost of an air ambulance to fly Ryan home.
The family say that Ryan did have travel insurance but due to complications with coronavirus restrictions it is now void and the company will not pay out.
This means that the family must now pay for Ryan’s treatment, with costs said to have already topped £15,000.
In an update on the fundraising page Bev said: “Ryan is still on a life support machine but the swelling on the brain has gone down a bit and we can get him home – but we need the air ambulance to do so which is around £20,000 to £30,000.
“We want to thank each and everyone of you who has donated already and shared the posts.
"[Parents] Brian and Elizabeth want to thank you all for all your kind words and your kindness.
"I know it’s a big ask and it’s a lot of money we need, but please from the bottom of our hearts can you keep sharing[ the page] as the more shares we get the more people we can reach to help Ryan get home.
"We really need your help and we really want to thank everyone who has helped us so far.”
To donate visit: https:// www.gofundme.com/f/helpryan-collier-get-home