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Langley man hurt in Thailand accident suffers setback

Zsombor Toth re-injured in fall, requires more emergency surgery
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Zsombor Toth

Zsombor Toth has suffered an unexpected setback that will delay his return to Canada. Toth remains in hospital in Thailand, where the 25-year-old Langley resident suffered severe head injuries in a traffic accident while he was vacationing.

Toth reportedly fell out of his hospital bed and suffered a new head injury that has required emergency surgery and forced doctors to put him back on a ventilator, the family said.

The accident happened while medical staff were cleaning Toth on the weekend, his uncle, Andrew Kovacs of White Rock said.

Doctors have told the family that Toth has suffered severe damage to the portion of his brain that handles memory, Kovacs said.

A Facebook post by his mother Andrea Czegledi, a South Surrey resident, said Toth suffered a head injury in the same location where he was originally hurt, but he is still showing signs of recovery.

"His vitals are good and he keeps eye contact with me" Czegledi wrote.

"He is back on ventilation to let him get stronger again and he is closely monitored."

Doctors were earlier able to remove tubes used to help him breathe and reduce pressure in his skull.

Czegledi and father, Stephen Toth of Langley, flew to the Thai hospital to be with their son.

A previous Facebook update posted by Czegledi said her son has been battling a fever that comes and goes and requires doctors to cover him with ice packs to keep his temperature down.

"Every time he has no fever and has stable vital signs I think that this is it, now it's going to be better every day, and every time his fever comes back, I'm disappointed and worried," Czegledi wrote.

Toth and a friend from Vancouver had been exploring Thailand together, but the friend had returned to Canada and Toth was on his own when he got on a motorcycle and went for a ride.

With about a week left on his six-week vacation, Toth collided with a car and suffered a severe head injury that left him in a coma.

He was taken to a Neuro Intensive Care Unit in Chiang Mai, Thailand's northern capital, about three hours away from the scene of the crash, where doctors performed surgery to remove bone shards from his brain.

The Hungarian-born Toth was a year old when he came to Canada with his family and currently lives with his father in Langley, and works in his parent's landscaping company, Kovacs said.

Family and friends have launched a gofundme campaign, "Zsombor must live," that has so far raised more than $19,000 toward its goal of $50,000 to help cover his medical bills.

Kovacs said his nephew did get travel medical insurance, but it doesn't cover motor vehicle accidents.



Dan Ferguson

About the Author: Dan Ferguson

Best recognized for my resemblance to St. Nick, I’m the guy you’ll often see out at community events and happenings around town.
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