A dad-of-two is fighting for his life at Manchester Royal Infirmary after being involved in a serious collision as he walked home from the pub.
Craig Williams, 40, is in an induced coma more than two weeks on from the incident in Macclesfield. Craig, the captain of a local pool team, had been celebrating a win as he made his way home from the Broken Cross Club, on November 3.
It was then that tragedy struck. Craig was involved in a collision on the A537, along with a white Volkswagen Golf and a black vehicle. The driver of the black vehicle then left the scene, CheshireLive reports.
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A 41-year-old woman was arrested in connection with the incident and has since been released under the investigation. A 23-year-old woman has since voluntarily interviewed under caution in connection with the incident and was also released under the investigation.
Since the collision, Craig's devastated wife Louise has been has been making daily trips from their home in Macclesfield to Manchester Royal Infirmary to be by his bedside, sometimes accompanied by friends and relatives. Louise, a domiciliary complex care worker for Care at Home, told CheshireLive : "You don't expect this to happen to you.
"It's the one phone call that everyone dreads. Craig loves playing pool every week and he was in a great mood that night as he had actually won against one of the best players.
"It's hard to put into words how he's doing now. He's fighting for his life and in a critical condition. He's been put into a medically-induced coma.
"Until he comes round we don't really know anything but we know that because of his injuries he'll need rehabilitation. He won't be able to use crutches due to his injuries and so he may need to use a wheelchair."
Craig has a daughter, 10, and a son, eight from his first marriage. The ramp and baggage agent for Jet2 at Manchester Airport has been married to Louise for just over three years, having been together for six years.
"Everybody asks me how I am doing and I can't really answer," Louise added. "I don't know. It's like my world's fallen apart and it's stopped and feels like a dream.
"I work in care and when I'm at work I put on a brave face and go and deal with it and then I come home and cry. Underneath, it's breaking my heart."
Talking about her husband's big personality, she said: "He is a larger than life character and he always tries to be happy" and she joked "I have told him that when he comes home I will never complain about him snoring again".
Louise said she was touched to see friends and colleagues coming together to support them, including their friend Lee Holmes and Craig's colleague Chris Wilcock, who has set up a Go Fund Me fundraiser for Craig's rehabilitation when he comes out of hospital. She said she could not thank them enough for what they were doing.
A group of Craig's friends and colleagues have come together to launch the Go Fund Me and a fundraising event to support him and his family as they prepare for a lengthy rehabilitation process.
The Go Fund Me appeal for Craig has been set up by his friends in the local pool league. It reads: "Since Craig was admitted to hospital just under two weeks ago there has been some positive progress. There have been a number of operations to start to repair his ribs, pelvis and bladder.
"The medical team looking after him are confident that he has not sustained any spinal or brain injuries and are also hopeful of reducing the sedation and bring him round. There is still a long road ahead and expectations of recovery time could be 6-8 months."
Craig and Louise's friend and fellow pool player Lee Holmes, chair of the Macclesfield pool league, said: "It's horrible. It could have happened to any of us. Craig was on his way home after playing pool and just over two weeks later he is still in an induced coma and on a ventilator.
"I contacted him about the pool captains' meeting and spoke to him a couple of hours before it happened. I spoke to his wife and the list of injuries is horrific.
"It came as a real shock when it happened and as a league we have all come together. We've raised over £1600 so far through the Go Fund Me account. People from the local Slimming World have donated and people who have never even met Craig, which is wonderful.
"We want to try to take a little bit of pressure off his wife. Once he pulls through his injuries are going to be that bad that it's going to be some time before he can get up and running again.
"If you can't be nice in someone's hour of need then when can you be. Local companies and groups have been giving donations left, right and centre like a local hairdresser's and the football club. We'd like to thank each and everyone who has donated and given their time. Without them, this would not be possible."
A fundraising event is also taking place at the Pack Horse Bowling and Social Club at 3pm on December 4, with various activities planned including a raffle and tombola and pool competition. Two entertainers Andy Hofton and Kerri Woods are also giving up their time to take part, with the club providing food and donating 50 per cent from the sales to the fund.
The event has a limited capacity of 100 so organisers are advising people to get there early. To donate to the Go Fund Me for Craig Williams, visit gofund.me/8056a313. For more information on the fundraising event, visit the Facebook page here.
Anyone with information or dashcam footage is urged to contact Cheshire Police via their force website, quoting IML 1404674.
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