A Lake Geneva teen who’s stuck in Paris is slowly coming out of a coma. 17-year-old Nathan Dyer became ill on a trip overseas.
Rachel Dyer suddenly finds herself packing away all of her essentials for a trip to Paris to lift her brother’s spirits as he battles the unimaginable.
"The biggest thing is Nathan really loves Star Wars so when I go to the hospital that’s what I’ll have on," she said.
About a month ago, Dyer embarked on his first journey overseas to Morocco with his cousin. Dyer got sick a week into the vacation and fell into a coma. He was air-lifted to Paris for better care.
"There were times where I felt completely helpless and had no idea what to do," Dyer said.
As days pass, Dyer said her brother still doesn’t have a diagnosis.
"He’s able to move around a little bit, but he’s more or less completely out of it," she said.
Dyer will join her mother in his hospital room, where family has been finding joy in his small victories.
"My mom said that she fed him like a whole cup of applesauce so that’s really exciting," she said.
Dyer said among all of the unknowns is how they’re going to pay for mounting medical bills.
"His insurance doesn’t cover him over there, his traveler’s insurance ran out," she said.
That challenge has badger high school rallying around one of their own.
"Students have been overwhelmingly asking what they can do to help out the family," said Principal Russ Tronsen.
For the past week, Tronsen said students have been raising money toward a Go Fund Me page that has climbed past $24,000.
"People have been incredibly generous, but the amount that the Go Fund Me has reached doesn’t even cover the medical bills," Dyer said.
Doctors don't believe Dyer isn’t anywhere near healthy enough for a flight home. His sister hoping her presence helps him heal.
"It feels better when you can do something," she said.
Gov. Scott Walker has joined a list of Wisconsin lawmakers who have reached out to the state department to find out if the government can do anything for Dyer.
