A BALLARAT woman has made a passionate plea for help as her nephew lies in a Bangkok hospital with suspected brain injuries after a diving accident after Christmas.
Born and raised in Ballarat, Troy Tiburcy was on a holiday arranged by his Perth-based employer when the accident happened, but unfortunately he didn’t take out travel insurance before he left.
His family believe that while on a scuba-dive off Pattaya Beach in Thailand, Mr Tiburcy’s mouthpiece fell out, causing him to panic and rise to the surface too quickly.
His aunt Leah, from Ballarat, said Mr Tiburcy appeared to suffer decompression sickness but Thai doctors failed to give the relevant treatment within the first 60 hours – a crucial period for that condition.
She said he was now in a Bangkok hospital being treated for “severe mental health issues”.
“Our family have pooled together all the money so we could to get my sister (Mr Tiburcy’s mother) over there to be with him,” she said.
“But he’s not fit to fly home and an emergency evacuation will cost anywhere between $25,000 and $30,000.”
“The medical bills are about $1600 a day – we don’t know what’s going to happen.”
Leah said the family had “no idea” how they would get her nephew back to Australia.
“My sister is over there in a strange country, having to see her son lying in a hospital bed and no one can tell us what is going to happen,” she said.
“We’ve all pooled our money to get her over there – there is no more left.”
Leah said the Australian embassy staff in Bangkok had provided an English-speaking doctor, but no funds had been made available to return the stricken family to Australia.
A Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesperson said help is being provided for Mr Tiburcy and his family, but said privacy restrictions prevented them from revealing the specifics.
“The Australian Embassy in Bangkok is providing consular assistance to a 24-year-old Australian man from Victoria and his family,” the spokesperson said.
In Ballarat yesterday, close family member Margaret Wapshott said the situation was a “living nightmare”.
“It’s just tragic,” she said.
“We’re worried they might make them stay there if we can’t raise enough money to get them home.
“We need help – if anyone can help us we’d be forever grateful.”
Mr Tiburcy’s family in Ballarat have launched a Bring Troy Home appeal to help their loved ones return to Australia and pay for rising medical costs.
To donate funds, transfer to:
Bring Troy Home Appeal
ANZ Bank
BSB: 013-520
A/C no: 3754-02217
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