Darren Cummins, a 34-year-old Scottish expat living in Thailand, is facing a £22,000 medical bill after a motorbike crash left him with severe leg injuries. The accident occurred on June 13 in Hua Hin, South Thailand, when a car allegedly made an illegal U-turn, colliding with Cummins at 100 kph.
Crash details and injuries
Cummins, originally from Falkirk, moved to Thailand in 2015 after a holiday and later met his girlfriend, Siena Cruz, 35. He described himself as a 'motorbike guy' who enjoyed weekend rides. On the day of the crash, a driver from the opposite direction cut across three lanes to make a U-turn, hitting Cummins. 'My leg took the brunt of the impact,' he said. 'I lost five inches of tibia, smashed out of my knee, scattered across the road.' He suffered a compound fracture at the top of his tibia, comminuted fractures on his ankle and shin, and lost use of his Achilles tendon. He was thrown approximately 30 yards from his bike and remembers seeing his leg 'dangling off.'
Medical costs and fundraising
Despite living and working in Thailand for 11 years as a business development consultant, Cummins has had to pay £22,000 so far and needs three surgeries before rehabilitation. The hospital charges before procedures, even emergencies. 'Every single procedure now we get hounded for money before they work on me,' he said. He set up a GoFundMe after exhausting his savings, writing, 'The last thing I ever wanted was to become "that foreigner in Thailand" asking for help.'
Impact on life and recovery
Cummins fears he may never walk properly again. 'It's less than likely that I'll ever properly walk again,' he said. 'I've started crying myself to sleep over it because my life's just changed in an instant.' He also doubts he will be able to ride a motorbike again. The accident has 'flipped upside down' his and his girlfriend's lives. 'Both of our lives have just completely flipped upside down just by the stupid mistake of someone,' he added. 'It's just not fair.'
