Alan Kirby, a 67-year-old British tourist from Marston Magna, Somerset, has died in Athens after falling ill during a family holiday in Greece. The tragedy unfolded after a travel insurance error left his family facing massive medical costs.
Kirby fell ill on July 5 while on holiday in Zante, initially attributing sharp pain in his side to playing with his stepdaughter’s children in the sea. His condition worsened overnight, leaving him breathless and requiring hospital care. Doctors in Greece recommended he return to the UK for a biopsy on a lung mass suspected to be cancerous. However, before he could travel, his health deteriorated further, and he suffered septic shock, necessitating ventilation and hospitalization in a private Athens hospital.
His family had been fundraising to cover the £45,000 cost of an ambulance flight back to the UK. In a GoFundMe post, his stepdaughter Liza Whitemore announced his death on August 25, explaining that donations raised would now cover his cremation costs.
Kirby was three days into the holiday with his partner, Helen Whitemore, his stepdaughter, and her three daughters when he fell ill. The family described his appearance as “dreadful, grey, and pale” and recounted their shock at the rapid deterioration of his health and the insurance complications that prevented timely repatriation.
The case highlights the risks and financial vulnerabilities travelers can face when travel insurance does not function as expected in emergencies abroad.
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