Phuket-
A BRITISH restaurant owner is fighting for his life in a Phuket hospital after being struck by a Russian tourist riding a high-powered motorcycle.
Ricky Eury, 39, suffered multiple skull fractures, broken ribs, a broken nose, and bleeding on the brain when he was hit by an XMAX motorcycle while crossing the road on Saturday afternoon. The bike was driven by a Russian national identified as Sergei, who was carrying his wife Svetlana as a passenger.
High costs of treatment
Ricky, originally from Bristol, UK, was rushed to Bangkok Hospital Phuket, where he underwent emergency treatment. His distressed parents, girlfriend Hannah Ryan, and younger brother Joey flew to Thailand immediately after receiving the devastating news.
Upon arrival, they were informed they must pay up to £10,000 per day for his treatment, as Ricky—unconscious since the accident—has been unable to provide travel insurance details.
His friend Solomon Wilkinson, 36, has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover medical expenses.
“Ricky has been unconscious, so we cannot confirm his insurance information,” Wilkinson said. “His family had to pay the hospital the equivalent of £10,000 today on his third day of treatment.”
Family’s desperate wait
Ricky’s mother, Annette Eury, 73, said he has regained partial consciousness but is suffering from memory loss.
“He has just started talking, but he only has a two-minute memory. He keeps asking if he can get up, and then two minutes later, he asks the same thing again,” she said.
Girlfriend Hannah, 39, described the ordeal as devastating:
“When I heard what had happened, I thought Ricky might not be alive when we arrived. My whole world collapsed.”
Father George Eury, 66, said the family had no choice but to drop everything and fly out immediately.
“My biggest fear was that I wouldn’t see him alive again,” he said. “When I was on the phone with his friend, I could hear Ricky screaming in pain in the background.”
Crash details and ongoing recovery
Ricky, the owner of Gorilla Thai Kitchens in Bristol—nominated for Uber Eats’ Restaurant of the Year 2024—had been in Phuket since February for Muay Thai training. He had just finished a gym session and lunch before the accident occurred.
The Russian couple involved in the crash were arrested at the scene, and local police are investigating the incident.
Doctors are optimistic about Ricky’s recovery but warn that it will take time. His family remains in Thailand for the foreseeable future.
“We don’t know if he has brain damage or what the future holds,” his father said. “We are living day by day, hour by hour.”
A fundraiser to assist with Ricky’s medical costs is ongoing. It is unclear if the Russian nationals will be held responsible for the accident, legally or financially, and some Thai media has reported the suspect claim to be financially destitute.
