A father has described the horror ordeal that turned a dream holiday with his son into chaos within 24 hours of landing on the Greek island of Zante.
John Quinn had travelled to the resort of Kalamaki on June 6 with his son, Lewis, and a family friend, Shaun Clark. But the trip took a devastating turn when Lewis was involved in a serious quad bike accident shortly after their arrival, leaving him hospitalised and fighting significant injuries.
The accident and immediate aftermath
Speaking from his home in Fenham, Newcastle, Mr Quinn told ChronicleLive that the group had hired quad bikes with the intention of exploring the island when the crash occurred. The following morning, they were notified by the rental operator that there had been an accident. The police officer who dealt with the incident said Lewis was in a serious condition.
The 27-year-old sustained a fractured arm and a jaw fractured in two places during the collision. He was rushed to hospital, where medics put him on a ventilator.
Complications and ongoing treatment
His condition deteriorated when internal bleeding in his lungs triggered an infection that progressed to pneumonia. Lewis spent close to two weeks in hospital but is now awake and on the mend. Still, doctors are yet to confirm when he will be well enough to leave hospital and return to the UK.
Dad John, who works as a tattoo artist, said the incident has been very, very difficult. He said he has never experienced stress like this in his life. Lewis has been under sedation and they are trying to bring him out of that to remove the tube, but he is getting agitated.
Financial challenges and GoFundMe appeal
Lewis, who lives with his partner in Bedford, did not arrange travel insurance before the holiday, leading his friend Shaun to launch a GoFundMe appeal to support his continuing treatment, which has raised nearly £7,000 so far.
John explained that the GoFundMe was originally for Lewis's repatriation, but his partner has flown out and it is also to help cover her accommodation and travel expenses. He has even considered cashing in his pension, but it was going to take three weeks. He stressed that this is all about his immediate care, not long-term care, and he just wants his son to be okay.
Uncertain future and desperate plea
The 60-year-old dad says he is desperate to be on the flight back home with his son, but he is currently unable to predict when that might happen. Meanwhile, he is ensuring he remains near the hospital where Lewis is receiving treatment, despite facing considerable difficulties.
He added: "I would like to fly home with Lewis. We're between apartments as we've not had a tenancy for more than two nights, high season is approaching and I'm worried I won't have a bed; it's all very, very stressful."
