In a heart-wrenching twist, mum Sarah Hannington found herself in a financial pinch, borrowing £15,000 to bring her son Will back home after a terrifying 40ft fall from a hotel balcony in Croatia. Will was enjoying a sunny getaway in Dubrovnik when disaster struck on the third night. Leaning over to pass something to a friend on a nearby balcony, he slipped, plunging four storeys. Miraculously, a small bush cushioned his fall, saving his life but leaving him with severe injuries, including a smashed femur and kidney damage.
Rushed to a Croatian hospital, Will endured a gruelling five-hour surgery. Alarmingly, despite having travel insurance, the provider denied his claim, labelling the incident as ‘self-risk behaviour’. This left Sarah with no option but to take out a hefty loan in order to hire an ambulance to bring him back to the UK, since costs for further treatment were not covered.
Thanks to his European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), they avoided additional medical expenses in Croatia. Now back in the UK, Will, 23, faces more surgery and an intense rehabilitation journey.
Sarah, an NHS worker from Basildon, Essex, hopes to shed light on the importance of having both an EHIC card and thorough travel insurance. She urges everyone to scrutinise the fine print to avoid similar setbacks. A GoFundMe page has been set up by family friends to help alleviate the financial burden on Sarah and aid Will’s road to recovery.
Sarah shared her emotional journey, revealing, “We travelled across eight countries in 30 hours to get him back. I was overcome with relief at reaching the UK. It’s been a nightmare but we’re hopeful for his recovery. Every bit of support counts.”
To support Will’s recovery and help cover costs, visit the GoFundMe page: https://gofund.me/c3582b271. Let’s help this family look forward to brighter days! 🌟