An Australian businessman left fighting for his life in the United States during a work trip is craving a pepperoni pizza after finally being given the all-clear to fly home.
Grain Producers Australia (GPA) chief executive Colin Bettles will return to Australia on Sunday after spending two weeks in a San Francisco hospital.
Mr Bettles, who previously served as a media adviser to former deputy prime minister Michael McCormack, was found seriously injured and unconscious during a solo work trip on July 4.
He was found with serious injuries to his head and eye socket and was rushed to hospital. San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center, where he spent five days in an induced coma.
After being discharged last week, Mr Bettles booked a flight back to Sydney and said: Western Australia who “can’t wait to get home.”
He thanked the “fantastic” hospital staff and his “amazing” family and friends for their support and said he is now “slowly recovering”.
He added that he could not remember much of what happened the night he went for a walk.
“I don’t have a very good memory of anything, I don’t remember the incident at all… all I have on my phone is a picture of a nice pepperoni pizza (from before), in that type of area,” Bettles told the publication.
Grain Producers Australia chief executive Colin Bettles (pictured on his working trip to the US before he was injured) returns to Australia on Sunday after spending weeks in a San Francisco hospital.
Mr Bettles’ friends initially claimed he had been beaten and assaulted as he walked back to his hotel late at night.
But San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) officials who are “diligently” investigating the incident recently revealed that they had found no evidence of a crime.
“SFPD reviewed surveillance video from the scene and found no indication that Bettles had been assaulted or the victim of a crime. He was in possession of his property at the hospital,” reads a statement provided to the publication.
Mr Bettles was rushed to hospital on July 4 after suffering serious injuries to his head and eye socket while walking alone late at night.
After friends and colleagues in Australia learned that Mr Bettles had been placed in an induced coma, GPA chairman Barry Large sent his best wishes.
“A significant number of people have been in touch with us following the news of Colin’s injuries and that shows how much they respect and care for him,” Large said.
And rightly so. Colin is a great person and we hope this message brings him some comfort.
“We will continue to support Colin and his family during his recovery and hope he can return to Australia soon.”
Mr Bettles (left) said he “can’t wait to get home”
Bettles’ partner, who works in a regional part of Australia with limited phone reception, only realised something was wrong when he failed to get on a plane to New York.
He reportedly contacted Bettles’ friend of 15 years and former employer, Nationalist MP McCormack, who raised the alarm with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Secretary Penny Wong.
US authorities tracked Mr Bettles to his hospital bed, where he remained in intensive care for five days.
Mr. Bettles is known to have been traveling alone but conducting business in his capacity as CEO of GPA.