The family of a Lake Geneva teen stranded in Europe after falling ill on a vacation is saying thank you.
Nathan Dyer contracted E. coli while traveling in Morocco. Doctors there recommended he be taken to Paris for emergency treatment when he fell into a coma. Nathan's traveler's insurance covered the air ambulance trip and he was taken to France.
Nathan spent days in a coma in the Paris hospital before he finally started to come out of it.
“Nathan just really fought, he started to talk and move. The doctors and nurses really pushed him," said Nathan’s sister Rachel Dyer.
She and her mom had rushed to Paris to be at his bedside. After 20 days in the hospital, doctors cleared Nathan to take a commercial flight home.
Since the story was first told by TODAY’S TMJ4, other media outlets picked it up and the family’s GoFundMe page has received nearly $30,000 in donations.
At first, the money was to be used to get him home on a specialized medical plane. Now the funds will be put towards Nathan’s mounting medical bills which could top $50,000.
“It's going to be more than what we have and more than what's been donated. The donations have been incredible, we're just floored. I'm speechless, I'm trying to find the best words but it's been an absolute miracle that people are willing to help us,” Rachel said.
Nathan is suffering from neurological and physical effects of being in a coma for so long and has an appointment to see his doctor Friday. Paris doctors told the family he should make a full recovery.
