UK man airlifted to Health City after freak fall

| 02/01/2018 | 35 Comments
Cayman News Service

Kurt Russel, who is being treated at Health City Cayman Islands

(CNS): A 32-year-old British man who was working in Sint Maarten and helping as a volunteer in the aftermath of the 2017 storm damage is currently in a coma at Health City Cayman Islands, where he was airlifted after he fell from a balcony. Kurt Russel’s family is now struggling to find the cash for the medical bills, as the father of two fights for his life at the specialist facility in East End. Russell has no health insurance, and although he has been operated on at the hospital, the family has so far only paid part of the US$70,000 bill by credit card.

Russell, from Corringham, Essex, suffered a broken neck, a skull fracture and a bleed on the brain after he fell three storeys last week while helping a friend to move furniture. After being treated in Sint Maarten, on Saturday he was transported 1,200 miles to Cayman, where surgeons operated and he is now on life support.

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Category: Health, Local News, Medical Health

Comments (35)

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  1. Just saying says:

    People that talk about money and insurance are all hateful and disgusting humankind when a life is at stake, pray and send good wishes and help if you can or just shut up.

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  2. Anonymous says:

    Where can I sent money to help with the funds?

  3. Anonymous says:

    CNS, is there a bank account where those that wish to could assist?

    CNS: We have not heard of one, but we’ll let you know if we do. In the meantime, beware of scammers.

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  4. Anonymous says:

    He is in good hands. People recovered from all kind of terminal conditions. Coma is in some cases is the way for brain to reboot its function. It might take time. I wish him a speedy recovery.
    Shame on everyone who is counting money in someone else’s pockets.Unless it is coming directly from your pockets, stop speculations and judgements. You can help or not. But leave your justifications to yourself. No one is insured from something like this happening. Have if not compassion, but human decency. This is the case where your charitable nature should shine, not when you donate money to “who knows who”.

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  5. Shane says:

    I think saving someone life is more important than money it could be you ,me or someone else well done shetty and he will survive as in god we all trust

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  6. Anonymous says:

    This is so sad. I agree that he should have been sent to the UK where the treatment is first class. But no one should talk about the expenses of the Govt Hospital nor Shettys. That little bit is small compared to what is owed to the hospital and will never be collected. Money should not be the issue at all with so many of us who are always looking to donate. This situation is just as hurtful as the bloody Hurricane that caused him to be there. The same way we can help the Residents there we should be helping Kurt Russell and his family.

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  7. Anonymous says:

    This is sad but he should never have been allowed in to Sint Maarten to work in a storm ravaged location with NO health insurance

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  8. Anonymous says:

    The flight to the UK is very long and maybe too much for this poor gentleman. Let’s show some compassion here. He is a British Subject and Cayman Islands is a British overseas Territory. There are many Caymanians living in the U.K. Receiving full benefits of housing, schools and free medical care.

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  9. Jotnar says:

    Why on earth fly him to Cayman when he has no health insurance. Should have flown him to the UK where he would have no restrictions on his medical care. The poor guy was trying to help people out and is now stuck in a financial nightmare.

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    • Anonymous says:

      A bleed to the brain would suggest that he would not have survived the trip to the uk

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    • Anonymous says:

      Probably because the long flight to the UK was going to kill him.

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    • Anonymous says:

      I wish him and his family all the best.

      Very good question. May be those powerful connections who got him here in the first place may care to enlighten us.

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    • Anonymous says:

      “First world” UK didn’t have the available funds to fly their injured citizen back home for free medical treatment on their National Health System (NHS) – under which the poor man stands a good chance of no recovery (and worse) during this time of year.

      I wish the gentleman a full recovery.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Goodness, you do drink the alt-right Kool-aid. I’d much rather take my chances with the NHS than the Cayman health regime, especially for serious emergency conditions.

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        • Anonymous says:

          Actually, you wouldn’t. You are clearly very misinformed.

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          • Anonymous says:

            The UK health system is ranked above the US health system by the World Health Organisation and usually places in the top 15 in the world.

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          • Anonymous says:

            I can read. Very well. There is an annual issue at peak flue/ice/cold weather season because there is a lag in the baby boomers being willing to pay for their own social care despite living through a property boom. But don’t buy into the media scare stories. The UK has an excellent health care system which delivers care more cost effectively than the US or Cayman (although it could do better if permitting better internal market structures was not howled down by the ignorant).

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    • Anonymous says:

      70K is not really a nightmare…

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  10. Reminder says:

    Poor fella. Get well soon!

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    • Anonymous says:

      I bet if every one in cayman give 1.00 it could be paid. Now that’s cayman kind for 2018

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      • Thank you st Maarten says:

        All the uk lawyers and accounts making millions should donate. Most Caymanians are too poor as they cann’t even get entry level jobs.

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        • Anonymous says:

          Because they don’t have entry level qualifications or work ethic. Education and drive are key.

          There are many many young Caymanians who have been given opportunities because they apply themselves to work and school.

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          • Anonymous says:

            And there are many who were denied opportunities because of expatriate cliques and homeland reach-backs.

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            • Anonymous says:

              Remind me please why this tragic story has been turned into a Caymanian-expat debate. Please have a little sympathy for this family. It could happen to any of us. Please let us not go into 2018 with all the hateful rhetoric. Surely both sides can do better than this.

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            • Anonymous says:

              Classic headwind mindset when anyone born in Cayman has a massive tailwind advantage.

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