The father of an Australian tourist stabbed while on holiday in Fiji has broken his silence to urge others to have travel insurance.
Clayton Brett, 43, sought medical attention at a Nadi hospital for a stab wound to the stomach instead of boarding his flight back to Australia on May 1.
He has been in an induced coma after quickly falling ill once his wound became infected and he developed sepsis.
The flight back to Australia cost him $140,000 and his hospital fees amounted to a whopping $80,000.
The tourist’s father, Terry Brett, said 7News The situation had been “very difficult” for the family to face.
“The concern for us was that if we didn’t get him home at that time, we might not get him home,” he said.
The stabbing comes as Fiji’s government warned that high cost of living pressures have led to a rise in crime and urged tourists and locals to be careful.
The father of an Australian tourist (pictured Clayton Brett) stabbed while on holiday in Fiji has broken his silence to urge others to have travel insurance.
Clayton Brett, 43, sought medical attention at a Nadi hospital for a stab wound to the stomach instead of boarding his flight back to Australia on May 1.
“While we urge the Fiji Police Force to increase its presence in towns, cities and communities… we urge all Fijians to exercise caution in public spaces and secure their premises,” Fiji MP Rinesh Sharma said.
Brett said the rising cost of medical flying was a reminder for Australian tourists to make sure they had arranged their insurance.
“Anyone traveling abroad and not having travel insurance is foolish,” Mr Brett said.
Clayton’s family first worried about their son when they didn’t know anything about him.
His parents, stepbrother and cousin tried desperately to locate him.
His stepbrother Matthew Davis said Clayton did not return home when he was supposed to and did not answer any phone calls.
Desperate, the family began calling hospitals in Fiji.
“We had a bad feeling that something was going on, so we called the hospitals to see if he happened to be in one of them,” Mr. Davis said.
“They received word that he was there and, in fact, he had a stab wound to the stomach.”
As soon as they heard the news, Mr Brett and his partner Jenny Davis took the next flight to Fiji to be by her side.
When they arrived, they were told Clayton had to remain in 24-hour intensive care for treatment.
The medivac flight back to Australia cost $140,000 and his hospital fees amounted to a whopping $80,000.
Septic shock is a life-threatening condition that can cause dangerously low blood pressure and organ shutdown.
Clayton required dialysis because his kidneys were failing, but Nadi hospital did not have a working dialysis machine.
His parents made the crucial decision to take him back to Australia at a cost of $140,000, which they had to raise and pay in advance.
TO GoFundMe was created by Clayton’s stepbrother to help ease the financial burden.