Grateful homecoming for motorbike crash victim

Email
Print

Grateful homecoming for crash victim

3News NZ

Sean Kenzie has been able to come back to New Zealand to receive more medical treatment

Sean Kenzie has been able to come back to New Zealand to receive more medical treatment

By Alex O’Hara

The Kiwi stuck in a Thai hospital after a motorbike crash that left him seriously injured, has finally returned home.

Thanks to an anonymous donor paying the $53,000 fee for a flight, Sean Kenzie has been able to come back to New Zealand to receive more medical treatment.

Mr Kenzie has been stranded in the Thai hospital for the last month, with broken ribs, punctured lungs, a split liver and a broken jaw.

“I had checked into my motel, I hired a little scooter had a look around and next thing you know I’m in here,” he said from hospital.

Mr Kenzie thought he had full travel insurance but he wasn't covered for motorcycle accidents.

His bills at a private hospital in Phuket mounted as he recovered until he was forced to go to a public hospital.

“I think it was pretty grubby actually and not very sanitary, he was cleaning his own wounds there and stuff like that; changing his own pads,” says his mother Nadine Mouritsen.

But thanks to an anonymous donor paying the $53,000 fee for a flight and a doctor he's left that behind, arriving safely in New Zealand today.

“I was a little bit skeptical because it was a lot of money but when I found out it was true I was like ‘Wow that's just amazing’,” says Ms Kenzie.

Mr Kenzie is in a stable condition at Auckland Hospital but his ordeal doesn't end here; there's still $12,000 worth of outstanding medical bills in Thailand to pay.

3 News

Post a Comment

Before commenting, please take the time to read our moderation guide


(Won't be published)



Comments

22/08/2012 6:39:50 p.m.

NZ wrote:

Stoked...Good on ya mate welcome home and all the best for the recovery!

9/08/2012 8:08:05 p.m.

Val wrote:

What an awesome anonymous donor! Bless that person. There are GOOD people out there in this world.

30/07/2012 7:12:01 p.m.

Paul in Bangkok wrote:

Yes scooters are a high risk mode of transport especially in asia and we don't even know if he had a valid license do we?
Kiwis need to take responsibility for their actions overseas and take out comprehensive insurance that will cover their intended activities like riding a motorbike.
It is no use to try and blame the government or the insurance company when things go wrong.
Don't assume medical care in Thailand is poor either because it is on a par with NZ even if it is a developing country.
I've read far too many anti Thailand comments which I find both amusing and slightly rascist.
But Kiwis do need to get out of their cocoon and realise the rest of the world can be a challenging place where you need to get proper insurance.
This guy is lucky he found a generous sponsor.

29/07/2012 7:28:07 p.m.

Paul wrote:

I would not pay the outstanding debt of $12000 back to Thailand after the disgusting way they have treated a foreigner in desparate need of medical help.

29/07/2012 3:45:23 a.m.

Adam wrote:

Great to see that this guy is coming home. I'm in Thailand now and it is common knowledge that the hire of scooter voids your travel insurance. You have to pay extra for cover. I paid $90 AUD for 3 weeks cover. I find it hard to comprehend that this guy didn't know this?? Even the scooter hire company asked if I had it.

28/07/2012 7:44:38 p.m.

Dick Pirie wrote:

I think we should also all know the name of the insurance company. I think it's outrageous on their part especially when scooters are a big part of travel these days for this to not be made explicit (in big red letters) on a policy. I accept that their policy did not cover him but I think it's sharp practice in their part to hide behind policy wording and not have made it clear.

28/07/2012 6:45:41 p.m.

ngaire wrote:

That's great news to be back in nz, hope you find out who the anonymous person is, to thank them in person