British father left quadriplegic after diving accident in Ibiza
David Hayes, 37, suffered a cervical spinal injury on July 11 and will require lifelong 24-hour care; family launches fundraiser as wife undergoes cancer treatment
A British father-of-two has been left quadriplegic after snapping his spine while diving into the sea on holiday in Ibiza, his family said.
David Hayes, 37, of Torquay, Devon, suffered a serious cervical spinal injury on July 11 and spent almost three weeks in a coma, relatives and a fundraising page set up for the family say. Doctors in Spain repaired fractures to vertebrae in his neck and inserted a titanium and artificial bone cylinder to stabilise the area, but surgeons told the family there is no chance he will regain movement below the chest.
Hospital staff said Hayes inhaled salt water at the scene, which led to pneumonia and a collapsed lung, and initially relied on a ventilator to breathe. He has since been transferred back to the U.K., first to the intensive care unit at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth and then to Salisbury Spinal Treatment Centre for specialist rehabilitation.
Medical updates posted on a GoFundMe appeal organised by friends and family said Hayes is making progress in some areas: he has been breathing without the ventilator for extended periods, can chew and digest some solid foods, and continues to undergo respiratory rehabilitation. The fundraising page said the injury affects the C3–C5 section of the spinal cord, which can impair control of the diaphragm and respiratory function.
The fundraiser notes that Hayes will require round-the-clock medical care and significant adaptations to his home for the remainder of his life. It said government support only partially subsidises the home adjustments and that the family is seeking private funding to provide "first-rate care, high quality therapies and the latest in assistive technologies." The page also described the accident as "incomprehensible."
In a further strain on the family, Hayes’s wife, Elly, was diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer shortly before the holiday and is undergoing radiotherapy. The family said the trip to Ibiza had been arranged so they could spend time together before she began treatment.
Clinicians treating high cervical spinal injuries say outcomes depend on the level and completeness of spinal cord damage; injuries in the C3–C5 region can critically affect respiratory muscles and mobility. Hayes’s care has included respiratory support, surgical stabilisation and ongoing rehabilitation aimed at maximising independence and preventing complications.
Friends and relatives said they remain hopeful about the effects of intensive rehabilitation and future medical advances, while acknowledging the long-term needs that follow a high cervical spinal cord injury. The GoFundMe appeal continues to accept donations to support immediate medical care, long-term rehabilitation and home adaptations for the family.