Family Racing to Bring British Man Home After Mysterious Illness in Thailand
A British family is in a desperate race against time to bring their father back home after he was struck down by a mysterious illness in Thailand. The crisis began with a shocking 5 a.m. call from a Thai hospital requesting payment, leaving the family initially fearing a scam before realizing the nightmare was real.
Raymond Wallace, a 72-year-old retired lorry driver from Sidmouth, Devon, had been enjoying his travels when his adventure took a devastating turn. On February 14, while in Hua Hin, he admitted himself to the hospital after suffering from severe respiratory issues. Within hours, he was sedated and placed on a ventilator as doctors scrambled to determine the cause of his condition.
His daughter Karrie was jolted by a FaceTime call that confirmed her worst fears—her father lay unconscious, tubes attached in every direction. Initially diagnosed with pneumonia, his condition was later reclassified as acute respiratory distress syndrome, though further complications have since emerged. A call to the British Embassy hinted at possible kidney issues, leaving the family in confusion about the true extent of his illness.
The crisis has been made worse by the fact that Wallace’s travel insurance had expired just before his hospitalization. With medical bills mounting at a staggering £3,000 (127,500 baht) per day, the financial burden became overwhelming. In response, the family launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover the escalating costs.
“You feel like you don’t want to sleep because you’re afraid of waking up to bad news,” Karrie admitted, struggling with the uncertainty. Her background in healthcare only intensifies the pressure to find answers that remain elusive.
Wallace had embarked on his journey three years after losing his partner, Jane, to a sudden brain tumor. Originally planning to visit Goa, a place filled with memories of their time together, he made a last-minute decision to explore Thailand with a friend. His daughter had only learned of the change in plans through a casual text message.
Doctors have warned that if his condition does not improve soon, he will need to be transferred to a hospital in Bangkok for further treatment. Now, Karrie and her brother are preparing to fly to Thailand in hopes of understanding his situation firsthand.
“The doctors keep saying, ‘We’re going to keep him sedated for a few days and monitor his vital signs,’ but we haven’t even been given a clear timeline,” Karrie said.
Despite the uncertainty, the family remains relentless in their efforts to bring Wallace back home. The mounting costs left them with no choice but to go public with their fundraising efforts.
“As soon as the bills started coming through, we realized this was more than we could handle alone,” Karrie said.
Determined and united, the family refuses to give up. Through constant communication in a WhatsApp group, they are coordinating efforts—contacting the embassy, managing fundraising, and exploring every possible avenue to save their father. Though the road ahead remains unclear, one thing is certain: they will leave no stone unturned in their mission to bring him home.
