Australian woman Narelle Massey is recovering in a public hospital in Athens after suffering severe injuries in an ATV accident while holidaying in Greece.
Massey, a volunteer surf lifesaver from Merimbula, NSW, was airlifted from the island of Naxos with a fractured spine, broken ribs and pelvis, a punctured lung, and a splenic hematoma.
Her son, Aaron Reid, is flying to Greece to be by her side and arrange her return home. “I won’t be leaving her until I bring her back home,” he said.
“Mum’s an amazing human, mate. She’s been a surf lifesaver since 17 and helps every year with the Pambula Same Wave program.”
Reid described his mother’s situation as dire, citing a language barrier, a lack of privacy, and poor hospital conditions: “She’s lying in a public hospital, there’s no privacy, a language barrier, naked with a sheet on her.”
The trip was part of a planned journey to the UK for a family wedding, with a stop in Greece. However, a dispute with her bank over travel insurance has left Massey without coverage.
“She thought she was covered for the ATV… They’ve denied it all,” Reid said, noting they are now turning to the ombudsman for support.
