A mother’s bargain trip to Turkey turned into a living nightmare after she was left unable to walk and facing soaring medical bills.
Chloe Mackie, of Lancashire, had to spend a whopping £9,000 to return home after enduring a horrifying freak accident while on a bucket list holiday.
She had always dreamed of swimming with dolphins since childhood, so she was overjoyed when she discovered an ad for the excursion while in Turkey.
However, the 37-year-old’s life took a traumatic turn after she and her nine-year-old son were struck by a speeding motorbike, resulting in severe injuries that threatened her ability to walk again.
In October 2023, Ms. Mackie, who was once a youth engagement worker, recounted the harrowing experience, saying: ‘I was thrown into the air and crashed onto the ground.’
‘My legs splayed like a pair of scissors as agonising pain shot through me.
‘I tried to frantically move myself to see if anybody else had been hit – but I couldn’t stand.’
Recalling the ‘terrifying’ moment she saw her injured son, she continued: ‘I pulled my body over the asphalt and cradled him as blood dripped from his face.’
Chloe Mackie, from Lancashire, had to spend an astonishing £9,000 to return home after suffering a terrible accident on her dream holiday. She had long imagined swimming with dolphins as a child, barely believing her fortune when she arranged the excursion in Turkey.
The 37-year-old’s life changed dramatically when a speeding motorbike collided with her and her nine-year-old son (pictured) in October 2023, causing her significant injuries and leaving her at risk of not being able to walk properly again.
The collision left Ms Marie with two broken bones in her lower leg (pictured), alongside damage to the joint between her knee. Her son, fortunately, walked away from the incident with just a few cuts and grazes
‘When he started moving and asked for me, I was relieved. But then I realised my legs had gone entirely numb – and the reality set in.’
Prior to the tragic accident, Ms Marie had arrived at the venue for her excursion too early and, while waiting, she decided to take her sons and mother to a nearby restaurant across the road.
However, despite checking both directions and waiting until the lights turned red, a speeding motorbike failed to stop in time.
The collision left her with two broken bones in her lower leg, alongside damage to the joint between her knee.
Her son, fortunately, walked away from the incident with just a few cuts and grazes.
While medical professionals advised Ms Marie that she would require emergency surgery, this came at an eye-watering cost of £1,200.
Describing the pain as ‘excruciating’, Ms Marie said that she was eventually able to raise funds for the emergency procedure following support from friends and family.
But, her nightmare ordeal was not yet over.
Prior to the tragic accident, Ms Marie had arrived at the venue for her excursion too early and, while waiting, she decided to take her two sons and mother (all pictured) to a nearby restaurant across the road. However, a speeding motorbike failed to stop in time
While medical professionals advised Ms Marie that she would require emergency surgery, this came at an eye-watering cost of £1,200. She was then forced to fork out £9,000 on a ‘Fit to Fly’ document to board a flight home, which her father took out as early inheritance from his mother’s will
Describing the ‘horrifying’ moment she caught glimpse of her injured son (pictured), Ms Marie added: ‘I dragged my body over the tarmac and held him in my arms as blood trickled down his face’
Ms Marie’s operation was unfortunately not carried out correctly. And, as a result, she is currently unable to walk properly.
It is likely she will be unable to ever walk again.
She was then forced to fork out £9,000 on a ‘Fit to Fly’ document to board a flight home, which her father took out as early inheritance from his mother’s will.
Describing her trip to Turkey as a ‘nightmare come true’, Ms Marie added: ‘I felt helpless.
‘I went into a state of panic as I truly didn’t know where I would get that money from in such a short amount of time.
‘After a frantic moment, I phoned my dad, who said he would book a solicitor appointment and ask to take his inheritance early from my grandma’s will.
‘He also used some of his hard-earned savings.
‘It made me feel so guilty, as that money wasn’t mine – it was for his future.’
The mother-of-two said that borrowing her father’s money to fund the operation has placed a ‘huge strain’ on both her and her father’s relationship, as he is now struggling financially each month
Ms Marie is now set to undergo another procedure to regain more movement in her leg, though her dream of swimming with dolphins will now sadly ‘never come true’
Ms Marie’s operation was unfortunately not carried out correctly. And, as a result, she is currently unable to walk properly. She later discovered that the biker was not going to be prosecuted for his actions that fateful day (Pictured: An X-ray image of Ms Marie’s leg after the collision)
Revealing the traumatic impact the collision has had on her emotionally, she added: ‘Whenever we go out now, I tense at busy roads and sometimes can’t bring myself to cross. ‘It should have been a memorable, happy holiday. ‘But instead, it was a nightmare come true’
The mother-of-two said that borrowing the money has placed a ‘huge strain’ on both her and her father’s relationship, as he is now struggling financially each month.
Moreover, in another brutal blow, Ms Marie later discovered that the biker was not going to be prosecuted for his actions that fateful day.
She is now set to undergo another procedure to regain more movement in her leg, though her dream of swimming with dolphins will now sadly ‘never come true’.
Revealing the traumatic impact the collision has had on her emotionally, she added: ‘Whenever we go out now, I tense at busy roads and sometimes can’t bring myself to cross.
‘It should have been a memorable, happy holiday.
‘But instead, it was a nightmare come true. We will never go to Turkey again.’
