A fundraising appeal has been launched to support the family of a young Paisley man who remains in intensive care after suffering serious injuries in a fall while on holiday in Malta.
Zak McKenzie, 21, was on holiday with five friends when he fell from a six-storey rooftop building at around 9pm on Saturday 24th May.
According to an appeal organised with the permission of Zak’s parents, Carrie-Anne and John, he suffered multiple shattered and fractured bones as well as severe swelling to his brain.
The fundraiser states that doctors are optimistic about his recovery, but are waiting for the brain swelling to reduce before determining whether there has been any permanent damage. It also claims surgeons are unable to operate on some of his other injuries until the swelling subsides.
Zak’s family travelled to Malta following the incident and expect to remain there for several weeks while he receives treatment.
The appeal, set up by family friend Louise, says: “All prayers, happy vibes and beautiful stories please of our boy are very most important at this time. We need prayers.”
The fundraiser also states that a magistrate-led investigation has been launched into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The family have disputed reports suggesting the fall was linked to any form of challenge or dare.
In a Facebook post, Zak’s mother Carrie-Anne McKenzie said she had been speaking to her son only hours before the incident.
She wrote: “Zak was sending me wee videos and updates of his holiday and I loved getting them.
“His last day of the holiday my video called all worried and miserable and missing the last day of the festival because of quite intense stomach pains.
“This was the last time we spoke around 3pm. Around 9pm I got ‘that’ call.”
In a later update, she revealed there had been some encouraging signs in his condition.
She said: “Zak is breathing on his own which is amazing, however he has started taking seizures which is beyond scary given his broken body is tensing and shaking.”
Another update shared on Friday brought further positive news.
Carrie-Anne wrote: “Zak is not going to be woken up until well after the 10th June as he will have an operation on his fractured spine.
“The swelling on his brain hasn’t gotten any worse. All his numbers are good.
“We won’t know how Zak is until he wakes up but the MRI didn’t show anything the CT scan hadn’t already provided.”
The fundraising page says donations will help cover accommodation, medical and day-to-day expenses while the family remains at Zak’s bedside in Malta.
Anyone wishing to donate can do so through the family’s GoFundMe appeal, here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/zac-family-with-accommodation-medical-day-today.