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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Nick Smith & Chiara Fiorillo

Beautician paralysed after falling 60ft in Thailand returns to UK after £76k raised

A beauty therapist who was left paralysed from the waist down after falling from a 60ft balcony in Thailand has returned home to Coventry.

Maddi Neale-Shankster, 21, was on holiday on the island of Koh Phangan with her partner and friends when she fell on New Year's Eve.

Her family launched a fundraising effort and managed to raise more than £76,000 as Maddi's travel insurance did not cover repatriation.

Thanks to the donations, she could return home on Monday, January 16, after spending more than two weeks in hospital.

The money raised was needed for treatment, including draining fluid from both her lungs, and flying her home, reports Coventry Live.

Maddi has finally returned home to the UK (Karen Moseley-Neale/The Venue/Facebook)
The balcony Maddi fell from (Karen Moseley-Neale/The Venue)

Ms Neale-Shankster suffered a broken back, two collapsed lungs and her ribs had pierced her liver in the fall.

Her parents flew from the UK to Thailand to be by her side after the accident and the woman's condition improved following back surgery.

The family now hope she will be able to undergo rehabilitation in the UK.

Maddi's family flew to Thailand after the accident (Gofundme)

Speaking to BBC last week, Maddi's mum said: "Before the accident, I was on FaceTime to Maddi. An hour later, we got a phone call from her partner and all I could hear is Maddi screaming in the background and the sirens blaring."

Posting on the GoFundMe page launched to raise money, Karen Mosley Neale wrote: "Since the fall we are now coping with the realisation that potentially Maddi may never walk again.

"After the fall Maddi was left on the floor for 40 minutes helpless until an ambulance finally arrived.

"As a family we are absolutely devastated to learn that Maddi didn't have the adequate travel insurance to cover repatriation."

Coventry music promoters have joined together to raise money for the family with an event called Rave for Maddi to be held at the HMV Empire on Saturday, January 28.

The event was organised to further support Maddi and her family during the crucial rehabilitation stage, and help towards her living costs until she is hopefully able to walk again and return to work.

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