Appeal to get former Cork resident Adrián home following accident

Members of the Spanish community in Cork are calling on the public to donate to a GoFundMe in aid of Adrián Palomino, who is in a coma following a motorcycle accident in Thailand.

Mr Palomino, who previously lived and worked in Cork across several shoe repair shops, The Pavilion, and Wisetek in Glanmire, was severely injured in the recent accident at Phuket, leaving him in critical condition and in need of intensive care.

The former Cork resident, whose brother Raúl founded Smiley Dogg Tattoo on North Main St, was working as a professional diving instructor at the time of his accident.

Speaking to The Echo, his friend Laura Martinez, who also lives and works in Cork, said his family are exhausting all resources to keep up with his medical expenses, which are reaching upward of €2,500 per day.

“I am a very good friend of Adrián’s,” said Ms Martinez.

“He was a big member of the community here in Cork from 2005 to 2012.

“We don’t know the exact issue, but he was found on the road — it’s something that could happen to anybody.

“His family are using all their savings and resources to pay for his care, but they need to bring him back to Spain.

“His medical expenses are costing €2,500 daily to be in the ICU in Thailand, so any money donated will be used to cover medical expenses that are already piling up and will also be used to get him on a medical plane to bring him home.

“We have universal medical care in Spain, so the ICU cost will be cheaper, but it will also give his family peace of mind knowing that he’s not thousands of miles away.”

The GoFundMe page, which was set up by his sister, Elena, says that Adrián sustained a traumatic brain injury and remains in a comatose state.

“Hospital costs in Thailand are extremely high, and medical air repatriation to Spain, requiring a fully equipped air ambulance and specialised medical team, is far beyond our financial capacity,” said Ms Palomino.

“It is incredibly hard for us to ask for help, but we cannot do this alone.”

More than 3,000 donations have been made to the campaign, totalling €167,888 raised out of €260,000 target.

For more information, or to make a donation, see ‘Bring Adrian Home’ on gofundme.