Abby Hartley in hospital in Bali with husband Richard at her side. Photo / Supplied
Abby Hartley in hospital in Bali with husband Richard at her side. Photo / Supplied
The Givealittle page for Kiwi mum Abby Hartley fighting for her life in Bali has closed as the family look to bring their loved one home in a private jet next week.
The page was set up to help cover $268,000 of medical bills and travel but after reaching $237,000the family said they would come up with the rest.
Hartley, 41, was rushed into emergency surgery after falling ill on her first day of her "second honeymoon" with husband Richard earlier this month.
Sadly, Hartley went on to develop acute respiratory distress syndrome and to make matters worse, she caught a severe infection causing one of her lungs to collapse.
Her story has gained traction all over the world with the family's Givealittle page raising more than $237,000 to date.
Now, thanks to the support of the public the family's luck may be turning.
Richard, who spoke to Newstalk ZB this afternoon, said he had been talking to an Australasian company about how his wife could be flown home in a private jet.
"We don't have all her drugs available immediately and they can only carry so much so it's working out the logistics."
He said the company was waiting for the correct doctors and nurses to accompany his wife.
Hartley was now out of an induced coma and working to breathe completely on her own. Resting in hospital in Nusa Dua, Denpasar, her family wait for the green light.
Abby Hartley, centre, mum to Sophie, left, and Toby, right, and wife to Richard Hartley, rear, has been in hospital in Bali since August 1. Photo / Supplied
He said it would cost around $170,000 to fly her home and that would be funded by the money raised from the Givealittle page.
"We have been blown away by how much the donations have been increased."
Yesterday Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern stood firm on the Government not being able to step in after Richard wrote to her office asking for help to bring his wife home.
The Prime Minister said the situation was "deeply distressing" and was a case where their insurance company should step up.
Richard said it made the family's mind boggle "as to why they don't understand that the insurance will not pay out".
In the last week, there has been a dramatic surge in funds donated to Hartley's cause, from around $85,000 on Monday to nearly $237,000 today.
The family said she was showing good progress and her doctors were impressed with how she was this morning.
"This was good to hear and put smiles on our faces ... we are so close to bringing mum home," the family said on Givealittle.
