A British tourist is fighting for his life against gangrene after jumping off a bridge in Poland and hitting his leg on the rocks below.
Liam Fullerton, 30, from Dundee, was rushed to hospital in Poznan after diving into the water to cool off on Saturday, his devastated mother told the Daily Record.
“Liam has since become seriously ill due to septic shock and now has gangrene in the wound on his upper leg, all because of the dirty water,” she said.
“He has already undergone numerous operations to clean it up and stop the infection,” he added.
But the family now fear the infection has spread to his lungs and said Liam had to be placed in an induced coma to receive life-saving treatment.
Gill Young, a family friend, created a Fundraising to ‘bring Liam home’, raising more than £10,000 in two days.
Liam jumped into the water to cool off during a trip to Poland, but hit the rocks and bruised his leg.
“Liam was in Poland last Saturday with friends to watch the Dundee game,” said his mother Lisa. Daily entry.
‘To cool off from the heat, he jumped from a bridge into the water, but it was so shallow that he hit the bottom or landed on rocks.
Liam was then rushed to A&E with two “nasty” injuries, before being cleared to fly home.
But after his condition worsened, he was sent back to the hospital in Poznan.
Liam was due to be put on hyperbaric oxygen, but X-rays revealed the infection had already spread to his lungs.
He was flown to a hospital near Gdansk to be examined by specialists in treating bacteria in wounds.
Liam was put into an induced coma for treatment and woke up on Monday, his mother said.
Friends and family shared tributes to the 30-year-old on social media.
“Please pray for this cheeky little face, he needs everyone’s prayers right now,” The Shack, a Dundee street food joint run by Gill Young, posted on Facebook.
‘He is always the first to help and right now the only thing we can do to help him is pray.
‘My dear Liam, you are so dear xx’
Liam’s football team, Stobswell AFC, also shared words of support as he recovers.
“All the boys’ thoughts and prayers are with Liam for a speedy recovery. You’ve got to keep fighting, mate,” read a statement.
Lisa shared her gratitude for the outpouring of support.
“It feels like we have an army behind us,” he said.
‘Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all the phone calls, messages and support we are receiving from all directions.
‘Let’s do everything we can to get our fun, cheeky, loud boy Liam through this.’
Liam’s family fears costs could spiral as he was not fully insured and will only be entitled to limited help.
“The air ambulance alone, if needed, would cost £31,700, so you can imagine what the total cost of everything will be,” Gill wrote on the fundraiser.
Supporters are asking for help to ensure Liam (left) receives care while he undergoes treatment.
Lisa told the Daily Record earlier this week that Liam was still awaiting treatment on his leg to remove dead tissue.
He said operations are carried out daily.
“He is in pain, but they have given him a lot of painkillers,” he explained.
Doctors told Lisa that “infection parameters have decreased,” a promising sign on her road to recovery.
Gangrene is a life-threatening disease that causes tissue death, usually as a result of injury or infection.