A “FOOLISH” Brit who snapped his neck after falling out of a tree on holiday is still unable to walk – and he doesn’t have travel insurance.
Guy Evans was clearing out branches which were “annoying” him when he plummeted 10ft and smashed into a stone wall.
Guy (left) was visiting his dad with his brother Stan (right) when he snapped his neck Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media
Guy, 30, with his girlfriend Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media
Guy and his older brother Stan were visiting their father at his holiday home in Loire Valley, France when the accident unfolded.
On April 19, Guy decided to try and help his dad clear the garden of “annoying” branches.
He scaled a ladder and retrieved two offending bits of tree debris, but as he was stretching out to reach a third, the ladder snapped beneath him and the amateur gardener fell and broke his neck.
The freelance copywriter was rushed to hospital by ambulance where doctors revealed he’d broken his C6 vertebrae.
The Brit broke his neck after tumbling from a tree in France Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media
He has regained some movement in his hands and arms Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media
“Very luckily I’ve not severed the spinal cord, which apparently would be more or less curtains for me, so that’s still intact which is the first bit of positive news”, said Guy.
The day after the accident Guy underwent a six-hour surgery where doctors reconstructed his C6 vertebrae by taking bone from his left hip.
He had a second operation a week later.
After failing to take out travel insurance he has been forced to foot the bill for his medical care.
His younger brother Robbie Evans set up a GoFundMe to help pay for his treatment and repatriation back to the UK, which has already raised more than £102,000.
Guy said: “I’m a foolish, foolish boy. We started this page and I think we hit the target within six hours, which is absolutely mind-blowing.
He said they needed the money because “the bills here are racking up and they go up every day”.
Fortunately the hapless holidaymaker returned to the UK on May 12.
The self-proclaimed ‘foolish’ Brit did not take out travel insurance Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media
He now faces a long road to recovery Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media
But Guy is still unable to walk, though he has regained movement in his arms and hands.
Any leftover funds will be used for his rehab in south London.
The first 18 months are critical as Guy claims that there won’t be much recovery beyond that stage.
“You always think that these things won’t happen to you”, he added.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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