Devon man, 38, fights for his life in Mexico after contracting coronavirus on work trip
A man from Exeter is in an induced coma abroad after contracting a serious case of coronavirus while on a business trip to Mexico.
Terry Mills, 38, set off on the trip three weeks ago and is currently critically ill and alone in a hospital in Cancun.
His family contacted the British Consulate for help but have been informed all medical costs lie with the patient.
They now face immense pressure to raise enough money to fund his lifesaving treatment.
Terry's cousin, Emma Mills said: ''We need to raise another £100,000 within the next 10 days to pay for this life-saving treatment.
''We are devastated - he is all alone out there, we can speak with the hospital staff but it's made difficult as there is a language barrier.''
Emma said her cousin's deterioration was rapid from the moment he developed symptoms of the virus, which has now killed almost 100,000 people in the UK.
''He began displaying symptoms on the Monday," Emma said.
''By the Thursday he could barely speak as he was struggling to breathe - he was placed on oxygen.
''Then on the Saturday, the hospital said that if he was to have any chance of survival he had to be induced into a coma and placed on a ventilator for a minimum of 10 days.''
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Emma says the family are heartbroken and Terry's mum is worried sick.
She said: ''The cost is astronomical - we have all clubbed together as much as we can.''
Terry is described by those who love him as a "caring, bubbly darling" and in 2020 he beat cancer. "He has so much still to give to the world," Emma said.
The family has launched a fundraising page for Terry online, in the hope of raising enough money to keep him alive while they can't be at his bedside in hospital.
A spokesperson for Terry and his family wrote: ''Imagine if it was your other half, child, sibling, friend, lying there in a strange hospital thousands of miles from home not understanding what doctors are saying to them, not allowed to have anybody with them on the ward for the fear of contagion of Covid-19.
''We are so lucky to have our wonderful NHS.
''Times are hellish for all our families and the whole world in this brutal pandemic, but if you can spare anything, even the smallest amount of change it can help buy our darling Terry more time to let the doctors do their work and save their life, so we hopefully can bring him home to us.''
You can visit Terry's fundraising page here.
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