“Sorry, I’m probably going to get quite emotional [talking about this],” she told the radio hosts.
“He slipped and fell backwards on to the edge of where the pavement goes into the gutter,” she said.
Lowe was taken to Calmette Hospital in Phnom Penh, where he went into the intensive care unit. Doctors had to stop the first attempt at surgery as Lowe’s blood oxygen levels were too low.
Five days later, another attempt at neuro-spinal surgery was again thwarted. Lowe was then “kicked out of the ICU and put in a room, and that was it”, Kelly said.
Lowe’s travel agent told his family about First Assistance, an emergency medical company, that could transport Lowe to another hospital for surgery.
Kelly said the medevac from Calmette Hospital to Bangkok Hospital cost $26,000 and was not without trouble itself.
Kelly claimed Calmette Hospital refused to hand over Lowe’s medical records and notes, forcing Lowe’s other sister to bribe hospital staff.
For another $36,000, Lowe had successful surgery which Kelly said he was recovering well from.
“We have been told if he stayed a few more days in Cambodia, he would have died,” she said. “Care in the hospital all up is around $60,000.”
Today, family bought a flight for Lowe to Perth from Bangkok for $31,000. Kelly said Lowe had been “working really hard” on physiotherapy and lung exercises to prepare for the medical transfer to Australia.
On why Lowe didn’t buy travel insurance, Kelly said, “He’s had it before when he’s travelled, but he said it’s an absolute nightmare [to get] and it’s a huge hassle.”
Kelly started a Givealittle page to fundraise money to recoup the costs incurred. When she spoke on talkback earlier today, she said the page had raised $7000. As of 4pm, more than $10,000 had been donated.
Raphael Franks is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. He joined the Herald as a Te Rito cadet in 2022.
