Fundraiser launched for Bristol chef with £100k medical bills after motorbike crash in Thailand
Friends of a British restaurant owner who is stuck in hospital in Thailand after being hit by a motorbike are crowdfunding for his medical treatment.
Ricky Eury, 39, from Hanham in Bristol, was crossing a road in the city of Phuket when he was struck by the vehicle, sustaining serious head injuries as well as fractures to his nose and ribs.
Eury was in the country to train in Muay Thai boxing and to find new inspiration and ingredients for his business Gorilla Thai Kitchen, which has two sites in Bristol.
Long-time friend of Eury, Harry Bradford, said that the fundraiser will help to remove "a level of stress and pressure" from Ricky and his family, with his medical bills already surpassing £100,000.
While Eury's condition has improved with him having regained consciousness, he remains in Thailand as his condition means he is unable to fly back home due to the bleed and swelling on his brain.
His insurance ran out the day he was hit, which means his family are covering medical bills which have quickly piled up.
An online fundraiser set up to help cover his medical expenses has raised more than £30,000.
However, the cost of his care has already surpassed that figure.
Harry Bradford said: "He really wants to come home, that's his main priority at the moment.
"He's feeling frustrated that he's stuck on the other side of the world. His son is here, a lot of his family are here, his close friends are here.
"His life is here, his life has been put on hold for a number of months already and it's going to be a lot longer than that probably until he's back and fighting fit.
"He's more positive that he's healing a bit better but he still has bleeding in his brain and swelling which needs to go down before he can get on a plane.
"[Ricky]'s always been that person who talk to everyone and looks after those around him.
"It's amazing to see the amount of people he's met that have come out to show support. It's a massive testament to his character."
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