A crowdfunding campaign set up to fund hospital treatment for a Mobberley man who was left for dead after being involved in a hit and run in Thailand has raised nearly £13,000 in less than two days.
Jake Tonkin, 23, from Mobberley is in intensive care in a hospital in Phuket following the accident on Sunday morning, local time.
He was riding pillion on the back of a motorcycle when a vehicle came round the corner on the wrong side of the road hitting the bike. He was thrown under the oncoming vehicle and was left for dead at the side of the road and was not breathing. A Russian woman who heard the accident carried out resuscitation at the scene and he was taken to Phuket International Hospital.
Following a CT scan Jake was diagnosed with serious head injuries, a bleed to the brain and a fractured femur.
However, the hospital staff apparently stated they could not operate until they received payment whilst the travel insurance company InsureandGo have apparently refused to pay for the treatment.
Jake's mum Jane said "I advised of the seriousness of the accident and that he was in and out of consciousness, plus he had been administered Morphine to relieve symptoms of horrific pain.
"Following several long conversations with the Insurance company - InsureandGo - they have refused to pay for the treatment because they said it was reckless driving on his part because he had got on the back of a motorcycle with a broken arm.
"Three weeks before he had come off his bike and broke his arm. It wasn't in plaster because it is the elbow and he has had two pins put in."
Jake has had his insurance policy with InsureandGo for two years, since he first went out to Thailand, and they paid out when he recently broke his arm.
Jane, who is a nurse, explained "In the first year he made no claims, in the second year he made no claims until about three weeks ago. I can't believe how cold and callous they can be, leaving someone in a hospital bed and state quite coldly that's their final decision and they are not going to make a payment.
"He was left in and out of consciousness and not treated. It has been a nightmare."
At her wits end Jane approached the Foreign Office who said they could talk to the Consulate in Bangkok but couldn't force them to treat Jake or force the insurance company to pay as it is not in their remit. However, the man she spoke to did suggest she start an online campaign.
Jane said "I wasn't going to do it because I thought it was form of begging and would be embarrassing. I had to scrape some money together but hadn't got enough. The hospital quoted the equivalent of £8000 for an operation to his leg and stated that it didn't include anything else - no treatment or medication.
"I sat round the table and my daughter said why don't you do it so I wrote it up, hovered for a while and then pressed to put it live. I was frightened to death about whether anyone was going to donate so I just thought about my poor son lying in the bed.
"It was literally minutes when we got our first £10 then we got £50. We burst into tears, it was just so moving. People we don't know are donating and people we had forgotten about are making these donations - some children - from small amounts to large amounts. We had someone donate £1000 today.
"I can't believe, we only started yesterday. Initially I aimed for £12,000 but then I spoke to someone in PR at JustGiving today and she suggested I increase the amount as they have found another break, he has now had a blood transfusion and we haven't included the flight. I have no idea how we are going to transport him back."
Jane has managed to speak to her son, who has been travelling around Cambodia and Thailand for several months, both yesterday and today. He remains in a critical condition in intensive care and he is in a lot of pain.
She told wilmslow.co.uk "They found another break in his leg, so he has three breaks, and they are waiting for a neuro surgeon to come out as he has a constant headache."
If you would like to make a donation, however big or small, to enable Jake to receive the treatment required and to bring him home you can do so via the family's JustGiving page.
