More than $50,000 has been raised to bring home a young man who lost several limbs in a horrific train accident.
Patrick Murphy, 25, suffered ‘severe and life changing injuries’ and had to undergo full and partial limb amputations after he was struck by a train car on the Canadian Pacific Railway tracks in Revelstoke.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers found him after someone reported a trespasser on the tracks on June 30.
Patrick Murphy’s (right) family and friends have raised over $50,000 to fly him home
Here Patrick (right) is pictured in hospital recovering with his girlfriend Tammy Jeffs (left)
Staff Sergeant Kurt Grabinsky said Murphy was conscious when they found him and told the officers he had been ‘riding the train’.
They said his injuries were ‘consistent with being struck by a train or falling off a train’.
Murphy, who had been living in Canada since 2016 with his girlfriend Tammy Jeffs, was hospitalised in British Colombia.
While he’s been recovering from surgery his family and friends have launched a campaign to get him back to Australia so he can undergo ‘further medical procedures and intense rehabilitation.’
‘Our goal, and main focus now is to get Pat healthy and fit to get him back home to Newcastle where he will undergo further medical procedures and intense rehabilitation,’ a statement on the donation page read.
‘This process includes specialist medical care, particularly expensive flights – just to name a few.
‘Any monetary support or assistance you can provide would be greatly appreciated and extremely well received not only by Pat, but by his girlfriend Tammy and his family.
‘We want nothing more than to have Pat back at home in Newcastle with his family and friends. Your generosity will not go unnoticed.’
Family friend Jade Shanks launched the campaign, which recently hit $55,799 of donations, well over double the original $20,000 goal.
In an update she said all of it would be needed to bring Murphy home. While he is almost stable enough to travel, his injured mean he will need a lay-out bed on a commercial flight, plus a two-person medical team.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers found him after someone reported a trespasser on the tracks on June 30
‘This cost is in excess of $60,000 just for both Medical staff and Pat to fly home. This is where the kind donations will assist,’ she wrote.
Once back in Australia Murphy will start the long journey or learning how to use his new prosthetic limbs.
‘This has been extremely emotionally, physically and psychologically trying for Pat, Tammy and family and the road to recovery will be lengthy,’ Ms Shanks wrote.
‘Pat will need to learn the basics like walking and using of his hands in everyday life all over again. We can’t wait until we see Pat on a surf board again.’