A 24-year-old British man has been left instantly paralyzed after breaking his neck in a pool accident while on holiday in Turkey. William Ponter was on vacation with his girlfriend, Rebecca Francey, 27, when the incident occurred on September 3, the last day of their trip.
Ms. Francey reported that they were belly-flopping into the hotel pool when she noticed Mr. Ponter did not resurface. After floating face down, he was pulled from the water, and an ambulance was called. Ms. Francey stated that he was immediately paralyzed.
At the hospital, Mr. Ponter underwent a 13-hour surgery for his broken neck. A C4 bone was removed due to concerns about a potential stroke, and doctors have given a prognosis of paralysis from the neck down. He remains in intensive care, with daily costs of approximately £2,000.
Ms. Francey has initiated a fundraiser to raise £150,000, as Mr. Ponter did not have adequate holiday insurance to cover his mounting medical expenses, which have already reached £50,000, and his repatriation to the UK. An additional £40,000 is needed for his return home.
"We just all want him home because it couldn't have happened to a better person, it's not fair," Ms. Francey said. "Just a split second just changed everything."
She also advised others to verify their insurance coverage before traveling. The couple had arrived in Turkey on August 28. Ms. Francey described the accident as feeling like a dream she would wake up from, recalling how he did not come back up after belly-flopping into the pool.