Family's desperation to bring home 'loving' dad stuck in Slovakian hospital after horrific accident at karaoke bar
The family of a 'loving' dad stuck in a Slovakian hospital have told of their desperation to bring him home after suffering a horrific accident at a karaoke bar.
Dad-of-one Thom Bradley, 43, has spent over two weeks in a medically induced coma after falling down a flight of stairs and hitting his head while on a city break in Bratislava with his uncle and friends, on the evening of April 30.
He was rushed to hospital after suffering a broken neck and trauma to his head and spine, his family said. He has remained heavily sedated ever since and receiving around the clock care, almost 1,200 miles from his loved ones at home.
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An MRI scan at the Kramáre Hospital on Wednesday (May 15) will hopefully bring Thom's devastated family some much needed answers about his prognosis and recovery. However, they say they have been told they will need to raise around £30,000 to bring him on a medical repatriation flight back home.
Thom, who is a full-time carer for his autistic daughter Daisy Mae, was described by his mum and step sister as 'kind hearted, quirky and a nutter'. The dad has been relying on a ventilator and has remained sedated since the catastrophic fall. He remains unable to breathe on his own due to a collapsed lung, his family added.
"He was out with his uncle and a few friends when he fell backwards down a flight of stairs and banged his head," his mum Gill told the Manchester Evening News.
"It was just a city break, which they go on quite often. They called an ambulance and he was taken to hospital; he's been on a ventilator for the last fortnight.
"I flew out on the Thursday (May 2) and he was just completely out of it. We will know more after the MRI and they [the doctors] do reckon he will be able to fly home - but we don't know when.
"To be honest, we can't fault the treatment. But, if we had him over here, at least we could see him easily. It is really hard."
"We are all just trying to stay positive and keep going. I don't even know what day it is."
Thom, who is originally from Newton Heath but lives in Stockport with his wife Sarah, is well known in and around Harpurhey having been a bingo caller at Gala Bingo before leaving to take care of his daughter.
A JustGiving page has since been set up to try and raise enough money to eventually be able to transport him home once he is able to be flown safely.
Friend Sean Downey wrote: "At present it is unknown if Thom will make a full recovery but love and positivity grow each day in the hopes that he will pull through and be back to his amazing and fun loving self…his family are taking it one day at a time but he needs some help.
"Thom is currently receiving Emergency treatment in Bratislava but with rising medical costs and the need for him to be back in the UK to be with his family there is some financial help that is required. In order to bring Thom back so he can be medically and safely transported to England it will cost £30,000.
"At present his wife Sarah, mum Gill and uncle Graham and all the family are doing all they can to support and get Thom where he needs to be which is back home safe and sound, well and back to being the loving dad to his little girl Daisy Mae who misses him each day."
Donations can be made to the JustGiving page here.