palani
13th December 2011, 03:43 PM
http://qctimes.com/news/local/moline-man-s-nightmare-vacation-to-mexico/article_d376fe50-2554-11e1-a7d8-001871e3ce6c.html
A Moline man who nearly died during a nightmare vacation to Mexico is back in the Quad-Cities and finally getting treatment for the devastating injuries he suffered almost two months ago.
For five weeks, Alfonso Acosta lay virtually untreated in a government-run hospital in Toluca, Mexico, his family said.
The U.S.-born 79-year-old was visiting relatives during a vacation with his wife when he took a bus trip with his brother to see a nearby religious site. On Oct. 14, during their return trip to Toluca, their tourist bus collided head-on with a semitrailer.
Acosta was in a seat directly behind the bus driver, who died instantly, said Acosta's daughter, Scott County Sheriff's Deputy Gina Lieferman. He suffered a major head injury, multiple facial fractures, broken ribs and a punctured lung.
"When we were first notified, we were told he had a concussion," Lieferman said. "The only reason they even knew who he was is that my uncle was conscious and could tell them. All of Dad's belongings were stolen from him at the scene of the crash."
The next day, one of Acosta's daughters in California flew to Mexico to check on him. A few days later, a son followed.
"My brother called, crying," Lieferman said. "He said, ‘It's bad. It's really bad. His head is so swollen - he's not going to make it.'"
I guess they had this guy in the hospital for 5 weeks. U.S. embassy would do nothing. Family ended up ponying up thousands to have him flown home. Mexico decided he was brain dead.
While he is expected to recover it is unclear if he will plan on another vacation to Mexico.
A Moline man who nearly died during a nightmare vacation to Mexico is back in the Quad-Cities and finally getting treatment for the devastating injuries he suffered almost two months ago.
For five weeks, Alfonso Acosta lay virtually untreated in a government-run hospital in Toluca, Mexico, his family said.
The U.S.-born 79-year-old was visiting relatives during a vacation with his wife when he took a bus trip with his brother to see a nearby religious site. On Oct. 14, during their return trip to Toluca, their tourist bus collided head-on with a semitrailer.
Acosta was in a seat directly behind the bus driver, who died instantly, said Acosta's daughter, Scott County Sheriff's Deputy Gina Lieferman. He suffered a major head injury, multiple facial fractures, broken ribs and a punctured lung.
"When we were first notified, we were told he had a concussion," Lieferman said. "The only reason they even knew who he was is that my uncle was conscious and could tell them. All of Dad's belongings were stolen from him at the scene of the crash."
The next day, one of Acosta's daughters in California flew to Mexico to check on him. A few days later, a son followed.
"My brother called, crying," Lieferman said. "He said, ‘It's bad. It's really bad. His head is so swollen - he's not going to make it.'"
I guess they had this guy in the hospital for 5 weeks. U.S. embassy would do nothing. Family ended up ponying up thousands to have him flown home. Mexico decided he was brain dead.
While he is expected to recover it is unclear if he will plan on another vacation to Mexico.