‘A Nightmare’: Injured American Man Stuck In Colombia After Hospital Demands Medical Payment Before He Can Return to U.S. for Specialized Care
A Florida resident who suffered injuries while vacationing in Medellin, Colombia, is stuck in the country due to hospital officials pressing his family to pay before he is released.
Michael Eugene Clark, a Clark Atlanta University alum, went on the annual trip with two of his friends last month, CBS News reported. While there, the group went to a friend’s condo, where a tragic accident occurred.
“They were out on the balcony, and they had like a gas fire pit or something like that and somehow it exploded,” his sister, Michelle Asbury, told the outlet.
Clark suffered severe burns from the explosion, according to the report, and one of his friends passed away. He was sent to Hospital de San Vincente for medical treatment, and his family decided to fly there to support the father of two.
“He was wrapped like a mummy. He’s wrapped from head to toe because he’s burned from head to toe,” his niece said, per CBS News. “That first day, his head was pretty swollen. His lips were pretty big. It’s something you wouldn’t wish on your worst enemy.”
His family wants him to be transported to a hospital in Miami, the outlet reported. Still, the facility in Colombia will not release him until the bills are covered, which is difficult because he does not have travel insurance. Now, the family must pay for his out-of-pocket expenses to get him back to the States.
The family created a GoFundMe and called the situation “a nightmare.” In the caption, they said that Clark had third-degree burns “covering 60 percent of his body” and want to move him to Jackson Ryder Trauma Center. The fundraiser has raised just over $86,000 at the time of publication. It has a $200,000 goal.
“While we are grateful that Michael has medical insurance, the cost for the care and treatment he urgently requires in Medellin must be covered before he can be released,” the family wrote. “This additional financial burden has created immense stress for his family. As they focus on Michael’s recovery, we believe that our community’s compassion and solidarity will make an incredible difference.”
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