A trip to Disney World wasn't supposed to end like this. But one grandmother, a British native, ended up in the hospital after getting very ill on the trip.
The 76-year-old learned that she had COVID-19. For Patricia Bunting, the illness quickly grew worse and ended with her being hospitalized in Florida. At the time, she was visiting Disney World with her family, according to the Tampa Bay Times. A bummer I know.
After her illness grew worse, the grandmother ended up in Health Dr. P. Phillips Hospital on Nov. 23. She had passed out and lost consciousness in the bathroom. To help bring her back to the UK. for treatment, her kids are trying to raise money through GoFundMe, raising $44,000. They called her "heart of our family." The grandmother needs a special air ambulance to make the trip.
Disney World To ER
"We believe her only chance for a stable recovery is to get her back to Wigan, England, where she can be surrounded by her loved ones and access continued medical care," Emma, Bunting's daughter, wrote in the GoFundMe description.
Sadly, Bunting has experienced an assortment of health problems in recent years. She was considered lung-compromised. Prior to COVID, she had three inhalers to treat her chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. She also used a walker to get around. While in the hospital, the grandmother developed pneumonia. Bunting is "scared of passing away in a U.S. hospital far from her family."
"I want nothing more than to have mum home for Christmas so she's surrounded by all the love of her family," the daughter said. Sadly, an air ambulance costs in the range of $163,000 with the low end still exceeding $100,000. According to her daughter, Bunting has a gastrointestinal bleed and blood clots in her legs. She's also battling a second round of pneumonia.
"Your support, prayers, and kind messages have meant the world to us during this incredibly difficult time," the daughter wrote on GoFundMe. "Knowing that so many people care about my mum has provided comfort and hope for our family."