Northumbria finalist left paralysed from waist down in Thailand moped crash
He was thrown off the road and broke his back
Roisin LaniganA third year has been left with life-changing injuries after a tragic moped crash in Thailand.
20-year-old David Eastham, who studies Business Management at Northumbria, had to cut short his holiday with five friends after the horrific crash, which saw him thrown off a moped when the driver lost control and skidded off the road.
Middleton born Daniel was left paralysed from the stomach down and suffered other severe injuries, including a broken back, broken left shoulder, punctured lung, bleed in the brain, cracked ribs and nerve damage to his left forearm.
The student spent three weeks in Thailand for operations and treatment before being flown home earlier this month.
He now begins treatment at the North West Regional Spine Injury Centre in Southport.
While in Thailand David was lucky to be covered by health insurance, but the insurance provider did not pay expenses for his family to be at his bedside –which is now setting his grief-stricken family back a massive £4,500 for travel, hotel and phone bills.
David was travelling with an insurance company which only covers accidents on 55cc mopeds or less, but David was travelling on an 110cc moped — the minimum available in Thailand.
His devastated family are now desperately trying to raise a further £5,000 to go towards the equipment and facilities David needs to finish his final year at Northumbria.
His mum Janet has even set up a crowdfunding page online to help raise the money.
On the page Janet Eastham says: “I am a single parent of 3 boys i am desperate to get David fully mobile again. I have had a huge amount of support from people and been asked to set up this page so people can continue to support David through this traumatic time. Thank you in advance for your generosity.”
She has also said she wants to raise awareness of what is and isn’t covered by insurance companies so other families don’t have to go through the same ordeal.
So far the campaign has been inundated with support and has raised over £4,200, including a £500 donation from David’s ex-football manager at Heywood Rangers FC.
David told the MEN: “The support has just been overwhelming. I didn’t expect it to be honest. The people supporting me have been absolutely amazing.”
Donate to Janet’s appeal here.