The family of Napier man, Jarred Thompson, who is fighting for his life in Fiji want his six-year-old daughter, Maddison Thompson to say a last good bye. Photo / Supplied.
The family of Napier man, Jarred Thompson, who is fighting for his life in Fiji want his six-year-old daughter, Maddison Thompson to say a last good bye. Photo / Supplied.
The family of a Napier father fighting for his life in a Fijian hospital is desperate for his six-year-old daughter to have the chance to say goodbye.
Maddison Thompson doesn't know what is wrong with her daddy - she only knows that he is sick, but is coming home tomorrow.
Jarred Thomspon (left) pictured with former partner, Shannon Story and their six-year-old daughter, Maddison. Photo / Supplied.
"My main concern is just being able to get [Maddison] to be able to say goodbye to him. I just need her to be able to do that," Jarred Thompson's former partner Shannon Story said.
"I don't know what's going to happen when he gets back to New Zealand. His flight back here is very risky ... they don't know if he will survive the flight."
The doting 27-year-old father was on holiday with close friend, Thomas Brook, celebrating the news that he was in remission after going through cancer treatment for the past year.
Jarred Thompson (second left) and his friend Thomas Brook (right) in a Fiji village before Thompson fell ill. Photo / Supplied.
But on Thursday, Thompson was admitted to Lautoka Hospital after what started as a headache quickly turned into a "potentially life-threatening condition".
After several days of watching Thompson slowly deteriorate, Brook made the decision to bring him back to New Zealand - booking flights and driving to a hotel opposite the airport on Wednesday night.
Story told them they needed to go to a hospital instead.
Doctors at the hospital said they would only treat him with palliative care and suggested he be brought back home for treatment.
However, at a cost of $27,000, a Givealittle page was set up on Friday in the slight chance they could raise enough.
By this morning, more than $33,000 had been raised and a medical evacuation team from New Zealand will take him out off the island on a commercial plane tomorrow.
Story, who is still close with Thompson is planning on driving with their daughter to see him when he is admitted to either Auckland or Waikato Hospital tomorrow.
"I don't know how she will react to seeing her dad when he can't respond to her. I think that will be quite difficult."
She plans on telling Maddison more tomorrow.
"I don't want to worry her or upset her before she actually needs to be."
They have a strong bond. "He is an amazing dad. He loves her and she loves him.
"She's a very resilient kid. My mum passed away this year too, and she was very sick, so seeing people in hospital isn't anything new to her."
Thompson's mother Donna Cameron flew over to Fiji on Friday evening, after finding out on Thursday that her son was in trouble.
"My heart just broke. I grabbed Jarred's younger sisters and hugged them and cried," she said, through tears.
"That's not the news that you want to hear. It is very painful at the moment."
Her step-daughter helped her finance the trip. She is coping by spending as much time as she can with him, but can't stay the night with him as he is in a men-only ward.
"I am very anxious about getting him home ... scared of what could come out of it. I've done so much praying in the last few days."
To donate to Jarred Thompson's cause, visit: https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/get-Jarred-home
