A British dad has been “forced” to remove his eyeball after it was slashed with a stranger’s fingernail during a nightmare holiday accident.
Lee Cuthbert had been playing volleyball with his kids, Mia, now 15, and Charlie, now 18, in their hotel’s pool.
The game quickly turned into a friendly competition as other holiday-goers got involved.
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But then, disaster struck – and the 46-year-old was left with blood streaming from his right eye.
His wife, Rachael, 41, was “horrified” at the sight, especially when opening her husband’s eyelid to see the damage.
And, as a result, he had no choice but to get it removed for good.
“I gasped with horror as I saw his eye,” the patient services advisor, from Leicester, told creatorzine.com.
“He told me one of the other players had caught him with their nail when they reached out for the ball.
“It dug in and slashed his eye right in the middle.
“I couldn’t help but panic as I rushed to find help.”
Rachael, Lee and their two kids had jetted off to Mexico for two weeks in an all-inclusive resort.
While hoping for some much-needed R&R, Lee, Mia and Charlie were on the hunt for adventure as soon as they landed.
Lee. (Picture: Jam Press)
After the accident, a nurse was thankfully nearby who urged the family to rush to hospital.
Rachael stayed with the kids, as Lee’s parents whisked him off to be seen.
When he returned the next morning, though, she learned the true reality of his “nick”.
She said: “He had a huge bandage covering his eye.
“It was stitched back together, but it was only temporary.
“When the player hit him, his eyeball exploded instantly.
“Lee would never get his sight back and it took a while for him to accept this.
“It was red raw inside as I cleaned it carefully.
“Our trip had been ruined as he had to stay cooped up in the bedroom away from any sunlight or water.”
Lee. (Picture: Jam Press)
A week into their trip in October 2017, the family was told to fly back to the UK.
Daily tasks, such as making a cup of tea, became impossible as he wasn’t able to see what he was doing properly.
And then, a year later, he had to get the iris part of his eye removed and replaced with a prosthetic.
Luckily, the result looked “so real” that the bricklayer’s anxiety began to subside.
The family filed a claim through their insurer, who paid out £15,000.
Now, they’ve come to terms with their new normal – and Lee hasn’t been put off playing in pools.
Rachael added: “He still loves snorkelling or playing water games.
“He’s quickly returned to my daredevil hubby.”
The pair previously revealed how Rachael’s wedding dress caught on fire moments before she was set to walk down the aisle.
Luckily, her sister, who suffered third-degree burns as a result, pulled together with the bridesmaids to find an alternative in the nick of time.
