An Irish tourist has broken four vertebrae in a freak boat accident in Thailand just one day before she was due to fly home.
Abigail ‘Abbie’ Fleming suffered a serious spinal injury while travelling on a ferry with her boyfriend, Andrew.
The beautician, from Clogheen, County Tipperary, required emergency spinal fixation and fusion surgery, during which her damaged vertebrae were reconstructed using metalwork.
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Abbie remains under medical care abroad and faces a lengthy period of recovery and rehabilitation before she will be fit to travel, as reported by Need To Know.
Her cousin, travel influencer Dev Skehan, has now launched an urgent appeal to help bring her back to Ireland before Christmas.
In an emotional video, Dev, who has 77,000 followers, said: “My little cousin Abbie has been in a freak accident in Thailand while on a ferry and this resulted in a huge spinal surgery, with pins and pieces put into her vertebrae to try and rebuild it.
“We are trying to get her home.”
Andrew has remained at Abbie’s bedside throughout her surgery and early recovery.
However, the family does not know how long he will be able to remain in Thailand with her.
Dev added: “She is young and out there with her boyfriend.
“We don’t know how long he can stay with her and we don’t want her to be on her own.
“She can’t travel because she’s had such a severe injury and huge surgery.
“The recovery is going to take quite long before she can even travel home.
“We are hoping and asking if you can donate anything – the price of a coffee or crisps.
“We hope she can come home before Christmas.”
Abbie had been due to return to Ireland and reopen Abigail’s Beauty Studio days after the holiday.
In a public update to customers, she said the business would remain closed until further notice.
She added: “At the moment nobody can give me a timeline on when I will be able to return home.
“I really appreciate everyone’s patience, understanding and kind messages during this awful time.”
A fundraiser created by Dev says Abbie faces further recovery and rehabilitation before the journey back to Ireland can be considered.
It added that being so far from home had created unexpected physical and financial challenges for the couple.
Details of the vessel, the precise location and exactly how the accident happened have not been publicly released.
