Young mum left fighting for life in Bulgaria after being mowed down by taxi

Ruth Suter

2 September 2024 at 5:20 am·4-min read

A young mum was left fighting for her life after being hit by a taxi in Bulgaria.

Stephanie Watson, 26, from Wester Hailes in Edinburgh, is currently being treated in a hospital in Burgas after she was mowed down by the vehicle on Sunday, August 18. The mum-of-three was struck by the car moments after she arrived at Burgas Airport as she had travelled to the Balkans to enjoy a holiday with two friends.

Following the horror crash, she was left with a disfigured shoulder, a punctured lung, broken ribs and a smashed pelvis. The mum has so far undergone two major surgeries, however, it is feared she will require further treatment for her badly injured pelvis.

Due to medical costs, surgeons in Bulgaria will not operate on her again. Her family are now desperately fundraising to bring her home to Scotland after it turned out Stephanie didn't take travel insurance out before her trip.

Stephanie was hit by a taxi after she arrived in Bulgaria -Credit:Supplied

Speaking of her injuries, a family member told the Record: "She has been in a really bad way and was in intensive care up until Sunday. She underwent surgery to put plates in her shoulder and another operation to remove the drain from her punctured lung.

"She made a mistake like most young girls do and didn't take insurance so we are trying to raise funds to bring her home safely."

Stephanie's family hope to bring her back to Scotland where she can continue with her treatment, but to bring her home via a medical flight, the family have been hit with a bill of £17,000. In the meantime, Stephanie's mum has flown out to Bulgaria to support her daughter.

It is feared Stephanie needs further treatment to her pelvis -Credit:Facebook

The family member said: "She possibly needs more surgery to her pelvis but they're not willing to operate on her due to funds. It was a severe injury and she will need more treatment when she gets home.

"Stephanie's mum has flown out to Bulgaria but has been struggling with a language barrier. She hasn't been getting much information and has had to use apps on her phone for translation.

"As it stands, we're looking at having to pay around £17,000 to get her flown home. She obviously can't sit up, so she can't be taken home on a domestic flight and she will need to be flown with a medical team to support her.

"Her mum is also having to pay for hospital bills and hotel bills over there, so costs are mounting up."

The medical team in Bulgaria are aiming to fly Stephanie home on September 3 - giving her mum just eight days to raise £17,000. The cheapest option for the family is to transport the mum via an ambulance to Istanbul in Turkey before flying her to Manchester, where she will be taken by paramedics to Edinburgh.

The family member said: "Stephanie's mum will need to pay for the medical costs by then before she can get flown home. The £17,000 was the cheapest option to get her back, going by road was more expensive and a direct flight was extortionate.

"It is a stressful and worrying situation to be in, Stephanie has three young kids so it is important that she gets home and makes a full recovery for them."

Donate to the online fundraiser here. The NHS and Foreign Office have been contacted for comment by the Record.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The Scottish Government’s sympathies go out to Ms Watson and her family at this difficult time. Ms Watson will, of course, receive all the treatment and care she requires from the NHS in Scotland when she returns home.

“Consular assistance for those in difficulty abroad, including advice to families who wish to repatriate their loved ones from abroad, is reserved to the UK Government. The UK Global Health Insurance Card which can provide some support with healthcare costs in Europe, is funded and administered by the UK Government.

“Neither the Scottish Government nor NHS Scotland can cover any healthcare or repatriation costs in the event of serious illness or accident for those travelling overseas.”

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