Koh Lanta: Ryan's holiday smash sparks friends' boost

[StrontiumDog]

http://www.oxfordtimes.co.uk/news/98...riends__boost/

Ryan's holiday smash sparks friends' boost

11:42am Tuesday 7th August 2012 in News

Rob Elson


Sharon and son Ryan

THE parents of a carpenter from Grove said they are in a “living nightmare” after their son’s dream holiday ended in a horrific accident.

Ryan Elson, 29, is in a critical condition in hospital in Thailand after an accident while riding a moped. He has broken his nose and jaw, needs reconstructive facial surgery and doctors have told him he is likely to lose an eye.

Family and friends at home in Oxfordshire are now scrambling to raise money for his treatment – after being told he had not taken out holiday insurance.

Dad Rob Elson, at home in Wantage, said: “He is clinging on to life. He was 50-50 for a while. We’re in an absolute living nightmare.

“My wife Sharon flew right out there and so she is at his side. He knows she is there.”

Mr Elson, a self-employed carpenter and former King Alfred’s pupil, had spent the last four months in Thailand.

The crash happened on Monday on the island of Koh Lanta. Mr Elson was taken to the mainland and then straight to Phuket.

His family have also been told he has fluid on the brain and was in an induced coma last week.

His dad said: “The phone rang on Tuesday, and when the phone rings at 5.30am you know it’s not good news. He has had a massive head injury. And although they are doing all they can, they think he’s going to lose his eye.”

Mr Elson is still unable to speak because of the hospital tubes, but has written messages to his mother. His first sentence was simply “what happened?”.

To date, his treatment has cost £10,000 and is likely to mount up the longer he stays in hospital.

His father said he was paying whenever needed, but that could not last much longer.

A Facebook group has been set up with more than 300 members and plans for a charity evening.Cash is flooding in from businesses, pubs and restaurants and friends pledging donations from skydives and other challenges.

Collection buckets were handed round at a football game in the village this weekend and friends at the Bentley’s Cellar Bar in Wantage and the Bay Tree in Grove have been raising money.

Mr Elson said: “The response has been tremendous. Without even asking, his friends have helped however they can.

“I know we told him to get holiday insurance but now is not the time to think about that.

“If this can be a warning to others, then it should be. We just want our son to get better.”

Mr Elson also wanted to pay tribute to the friends in Thailand who were helping his wife cope, his family, son’s girlfriend Yam, family Pip and Dom, and to neighbours including Val Belcher.

He said: “You don’t know how much someone is loved, until something like this happens.

“It’s broken my heart.”

• Visit facebook.com/events /400744206655682

[The Big Fella]

Another young mans life hangs in the balance and through again not wearing a helmet and travelling without adequate insurance. When will they learn. lets hope he make a full recovery. It happens here on a far too regular basis

[Daft Old Cat]

Unfortunately he wont be the last one to travel without insurance perhaps to save a few bob and get into trouble.

[Fondles]

Even if he had insurance most do not cover the use of scooters/mopeds.

[Gerbil]

^ and nearly all travel insurance covers you for a maximum of a three month trip - he had been here four months.

[Satonic]

Its a terrible thing for the family to go through for sure but I'm surprised it makes the news.

[nostromo]

^ and nearly all travel insurance covers you for a maximum of a three month trip - he had been here four months.

True, although you can negotiate an extension if you have the cash / are a good customer.

But motorbike accidents - no-no.

I feel sad for the lad and the family, but isnt it a bit self inflicted. Remembering the islands and steep cliffs, you should be very much experienced driving a motorbike there. In the end, it was stupidity, which is not unusual.

[Mozzbie47]

^ and nearly all travel insurance covers you for a maximum of a three month trip - he had been here four months.

True, although you can negotiate an extension if you have the cash / are a good customer.

But motorbike accidents - no-no.

I feel sad for the lad and the family, but isnt it a bit self inflicted. Remembering the islands and steep cliffs, you should be very much experienced driving a motorbike there. In the end, it was stupidity, which is not unusual.

Agreed

[nedwalk]

just done some research here,, no licence, up to 50cc, with licence depending on what cover no problems will cover..but for fuck sake, any mug who does,nt get travel insurence..well here it is, i hope he pulls through so he can pay back for his stupidity

[kingwilly]

^ and nearly all travel insurance covers you for a maximum of a three month trip - he had been here four months.

Which oughta change given the number of kids taking up a gap year option.

[Wizard of Oz]

When I was on a working holiday in Australia for 1 year (a while ago!) I took out a travel insurance for a full year. There are quite a few companies that do those sort of insurances, one thing, it's not cheap! The other day in the Australian news an article about the many accidents that happen when Aussies are on Holidays, especially Thailand and moped accidents. They again made it very clear that even though you have a travel insurance, if you don't have a motorcycle license, they will not cover any costs in case of an accident, same if found out that you have been drink driving.

[Neo]

Good job he's not dead, plenty die on scooters in Thailand each year.

[StrontiumDog]

http://www.oxfordtimes.co.uk/news/99...s_fundraisers/

Victim of Thai crash thanks fundraisers

7:10pm Wednesday 19th September 2012 in News


Ryan Elson, right, with younger brother Adam and mum Sharon

A CARPENTER who was left with major injuries following a bike crash in Thailand has thanked the supporters who helped pay his medical bills.

Friends and family of Ryan Elson have raised £20,000 since his accident on August 1.

Now the 28-year-old is back home in Wantage and has paid tribute to everyone who has backed him.

Mr Elson had fluid on the brain and needed facial surgery after the accident.

But he had not taken out health insurance, and was faced with a medical bill for just under £22,000.


Yet friends, family and even people he had never met who heard of his plight pulled together, and through a “flabbergasting” effort raised almost the entire cost of his bill.

Mr Elson returned home – with his family who had flown out to visit him – on August 29.

He is continuing to have treatment for his injuries.

He said: “When something like this happens, you don’t get time to prepare for it, you have to take it day by day and hope that things work out.

“I would like to say a huge thank you to my friends and family, but most of all to the amazing community and the spirit in which they reached out to me and my family.

“It has made the recovery process so much more bearable, I am overwhelmed with all the support and I am truly grateful.”

Among the events organised to help raise money were a bake sale, a poker night, a football match, a sky dive and an auction with live music.

Mr Elson’s mother Sharon said: “These young people are champions of decency and caring, and they have done amazingly well.

“People’s generosity, their love and support, that is what has really touched us.

“Ryan is not out of the woods yet, he still needs treatment and we don’t know exactly what it will be.”

A Wantage 999 emergency fund, made up of town police, paramedics and firefighters, were among the contributors, donating £1,000. One of those leading the fundraising efforts was Diane Monnery, whose son Jake has been a friend of Mr Elson since they were five.

Mrs Monnery, 54, from Grove, said: “I am gobsmacked, it is real community stuff. Ryan’s friends have just run with this.

“My other son came down from London and said this just wouldn’t happen where he lives.

“Ryan is the sort of guy I can ask to come and fix my fence and he will just do it. He is very popular for a reason – he is a really good guy.”

Wantage charity champion Ray Collins is holding a welcome home party for the Elson family tomorrow night at Shush nightclub, which he hopes will give them a chance to thank, and in some cases meet, the people who worked to hard to bring him home.

Mr Collins said: “I have been fundraising for seven years and I was blown away by the wave of support that blew up out of nowhere.

“I have never known anything like it, but Wantage is like that, people just get behind things. They all thought, ‘that could happen to me’.”

Entry to the fundraiser at Shush will cost £10, and there will be live music.

Mr Elson’s father Rob hoped his son’s accident would be a reminder for other people travelling overseas to take out insurance.

He previously told the Oxford Mail: “If this can be a warning to others, then it should be. We just want our son to get better.”

[terry57]

Even if he had insurance most do not cover the use of scooters/mopeds.

There's plenty of Insurance companies that cover motorcycles but as per usual people don't do there research and cry later when they find out there not covered for motorcycles.

Another young dude traveling uninsured. Madness really innit.

[terry57]

^ and nearly all travel insurance covers you for a maximum of a three month trip - he had been here four months.

What a lot of bolliks.

[terry57]

When I was on a working holiday in Australia for 1 year I took out a travel insurance for a full year. There are quite a few companies that do those sort of insurances, one thing, it's not cheap!

If you don't have a motorcycle license, they will not cover any costs in case of an accident, same if found out that you have been drink driving.

If you actually work out the weekly cost of travel insurance for a year it is cheap considering what one will pay if involved in an incident involving hospitalization as seen in this case.

No insurance company will cover a muppet who is pissed up, not using a helmet riding unlicensed or riding an unlicensed bike.

There running a business at the end of the day and are not a charity, But if your fully covered up and doing the right thing they will pay.

Just saying like, not very complicated.