A man has been left fighting for his life following an attack in a tourist spot popular with Brits.
Andrew Frazer, 43, from St Helens, was attacked while on holiday to celebrate his brother Ian’s birthday on November 23. Andrew had not even been in the bustling resort town for a day before he was knocked unconscious in the street and rushed to hospital with a head injury at 1am on November 14.
His sister-in-law Claire Howard told the Liverpool ECHO that Andrew’s wound was stapled and he was sent to hospital where he did not have a CT scan because he did not have travel insurance. The step-dad-of two, who only recently became engaged to his fiance Carrie, began to feel worse the following day and an eventual CT scan reveal a serious bleed on the brain.
(Image: Claire Howard)
Claire told the ECHO: “The first I knew about it was when Ian rung my sister Carrie to say Andrew is in hospital. Carrie rang me, I booked us flights and we got there on Saturday morning.
“Andrew couldn’t talk, couldn’t communicate. He was sleeping all the time, and when he would wake up he was constantly holding his head, and it was so upsetting because he just couldn’t speak at all.”
Claire’s sister, who is Andrew’s wife Carrie, has dutifully stayed by Andrew’s side in Benidorm. Claire said: “I landed back in the UK at 5pm, and by 10pm he was in for emergency surgery because the bleed was that bad.
“They’ve taken part of his skull away and they’ve put that in a freezer, because they can’t put it back on yet. His hands are strapped down to make sure he doesn’t touch his head, because his brain is exposed.”
Andrew’s horror injury led to an emergency craniotomy, where part of the skull is removed.
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Now, Andrew is in an induced coma and fighting for his life and he could require a lot fo care during recovery. “Andrew may have to go into some type of care home for rehab – he can’t walk, can’t talk,” Claire said.
Andrew’s Shaun McKeegan, has set up an online fundraiser with the aim of raising the £28,000 needed for a medical flight home.
Claire said: “The fundraising is for a medical flight, which we have been quoted between £25,000 and £28,000. You worry about how you are going to do this, how you are going to get the funds.
“Andrew’s mum and dad are pensioners, they don’t have passports, so they’re sick with worry. It’s been awful. We’re just trying to hold things together as a family, keep in contact with each other and carry on.
“Because Andrew is in the ICU, you’re only allowed to visit for one hour and only one person is allowed in. Carrie wants to spent all her time with him, but Ian is his brother and wants to be there as well. Ian hasn’t come home since it happened. He’s been there constantly.
“I know its a difficult time for everybody at the moment, but if anybody could help, no matter how big or small the donation is, I cant explain what it would mean.”
You can donate to the fundraiser here.
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