£150k appeal launched to help bring home Carnforth man who broke his neck on holiday
A fundraiser has been launched to get a Carnforth man home after he broke his neck diving into a swimming pool on the last day of his holiday in Turkey.
Will Ponter’s partner Becky Francey was able to get him out of the water, and he received immediate care at the hospital.
He underwent a 13-hour emergency surgery, and doctors said the 24-year-old would be paralysed from the neck down.
His family are with him in Antalya with no timescale yet on when he will be stable enough to travel home, following the accident on Thursday.
His partner, Becky Francey, told the BBC: "We need to get him home, he's going to need special care. It's going to be a long road to recovery."
"In a second everything just changed," the 27-year-old said.
"I was stood on the side as he jumped in, but he didn't come back up for a while, and when he did he was just floating face down," she said.
"I knew he wasn't messing, so I dived in, and I pulled him out and he instantly said 'I can't move'."
Will was rushed to a local hospital, before being transferred "because of the severity of his injuries, there was nobody there that was capable of operating on him," Becky said.
The couple did not have the insurance to cover all costs, and expected further costs to make their home accessible.
"I'm just trying to stay busy and make sure everything's sorted for him so we can get him home as soon as we can," Becky said.
"We just take it hour by hour, it's the only way to survive, but the kindness that has come out of all this has been incredible.
"The amount of support from home has really lifted us, it feels like a big hug from around the world.”
A gofundme has been launched to get Will home, with a £150k target.
The gofundme said: “This accident was a split second of tragedy that has now reshaped the entire future of a young man who is only 24 years old.
“Will has a long road to recovery and the end goal of ‘recovered’ is still uncertain of what that looks like.
“But the family needs help. The immediate, urgent need, is help with funds for his stay in the ICU. After that, there is the cost of a flight from Turkey, back home to England.
“They do not have the correct insurance to cover all costs, and we expect there will be further costs to help make the home accessible, as well as resources and other accessibility equipment.
“We do know that the transport, due to needing medical staff on board, will be roughly £120,000 and every day spent in the ICU in Turkey is costing £2,000.
“We hope to raise at least £150,000.
“If you can help financially, even a small amount, please do.
“We are all focusing on being positive, and praying for a recovery that may seem miraculous. But as the saying goes, “Where there’s a Will, there’s a way.”
Visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-get-will-home-6my5h? to donate.