Patricia Bunting, 76, had been on a three week ‘dream’ holiday with her grandson and her two sons in Florida when she became illl and was hospitalised in Orlando, Florida
The family of a Brit gran stuck abroad after falling sick on holiday without travel insurance have detailed the flood of hate they’ve received from trolls.
Patricia Bunting, 76, had been on a three week holiday with her grandson and her two sons in Florida when she became illl and was hospitalised at Orlando’s dr. P. Phillips Hospital after she contracted Covid-19. She spent five days in intensive care before contracting pneumonia. She also had a gastrointestinal bleed and blood clots in her legs. The cost of her treatment has surged pasta staggering £80,000.
The gran had considered travel insurance for her 20th visit to Disneyland, which she called her “happy place,” but she was quoted £3,000 due to her underlying conditions and ruled it as being too expensive. In her current condition she is unable to fly as a passenger as she would need to be medically assisted throughout the journey hom.
Her family want to return to the UK so she could get treatment closer to Wigan where she lives. So far the GoFundMe campaign by her daughter Emma has raised an estimated £34,000 out of a target of £50,000.
However, Emma has hit back at the trolls who said she shouldn’t have flown without travel insurance, she told MailOnline: “People have said she was daft not to get insurance, but she didn’t know she was going to get ill, did she?”
She added the “keyboard warriors” have accused her of exaggerating her mum’s condition and the medical costs. “I don’t justify them with an answer. I have a good cry sometimes but don’t let my mother see me upset,” Emma said.
Others were more supportive, one person posted on the GoFundMe page: “I am so angry with the United States healthcare system. As someone who just lost my mom, and lives near the Disney Parks, wish I could do more. This is not the way it is supposed to be. Praying she gets home safely and her health improves soon, so she can be with family.”
The daughter praised generous donations which range £5 to £2,000. “There are lovely people who’ve got a heart and given to the fundraiser even though they don’t know her. We’re a working class family, we’re not millionaires. How else are we supposed to pay for all this?, she said.
Emma said this traumatic experience has made he realise it is not worth travelling abroad without insurance. “Don’t do it. It’s not worth it”, she said. “Don’t look at it as an unnecessary expense. We can’t fault the medical care that Mum has received here – but it is very, very expensive. I haven’t even asked what the medical bill at the hospital is so far, but it’ll be tens of thousands of dollars.’
