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Badenoch and Strathspey sisters' fundraiser to bring Mexican lifesavers to Highlands





Two sisters of the strath have launched a remarkable fund-raiser to bring a Mexican 'family' to the Highlands – for the wedding of 'the miracle man' whose life they saved.

Davy and Helen's life-saving Mexican 'family' who will be put up by friends at the wedding, if the £8000 can be found to get them here
Davy and Helen's life-saving Mexican 'family' who will be put up by friends at the wedding, if the £8000 can be found to get them here

In Aviemore, Fiona Wares told the Strathy: "My sister Helen Smith, who grew up here and in Grantown, is going to marry Davy Duncan in April.

Fiona Wares: "We so want to bring them over, to thank them"
Fiona Wares: "We so want to bring them over, to thank them"

"They want to bring over the people who saved his life against all the odds."

Near tragedy struck whilst Mr Duncan was working as a saturation diver with Subsea 7 in Mexico in February 2021.

Ms Smith explained: "A week after joining his ship – the day after his 59th birthday – he tested Covid positive. He was isolated on the ship and was only airlifted days later, after high winds had prevented the helicopter from landing.

"Davy went downhill rapidly and was put in an induced coma then moved from a small hospital in Playa de Carmen to a hospital in Villahermosa where I flew out to join him.

"When he arrived at the hospital he was so poorly he was not expected to pull through.

Davy has a rare blood group and needed transfusions after being struck low by Covid
Davy has a rare blood group and needed transfusions after being struck low by Covid

"When he got through the first night, he was given five days. He had multiple organ failure and was in a bad way. But he pulled through the five days and surprised them all."

Mr Duncan was slowly taken out of his coma some weeks later but then suffered numerous strokes.

Ms Smith said: "Things looked bleak again. I learned, through Google translate on a hospital worker's phone, how bleak it was looking.

"Davy needed blood and, unlike in the UK, you have to go buy it from blood banks. Sadly he is a rare blood group. My most surreal time was being driven around city looking for blood for Davy.

"Due to Covid the blood banks had little stock as people were not donating."

The hotel manager where Ms Smith was staying put together a city-wide campaign for blood using his contacts in city hotels, army and police and three donors were eventually found who in effect saved Mr Duncan's life.

The happy couple
The happy couple

Fit enough to travel two months later, Mr Duncan was flown with his partner by air ambulance to Inverness where he remained in ICU for some three months, fighting a 'huge list of issues' including myopathy, neuropathy and aphasia.

"He then went to HDU and then ward 2a for rehab. I travelled a 140-mile round trip daily for six months to be with him and was his carer for most of this time in the hospital."

Now at last they are both at home in Fort William, where the couple had settled after meeting in Grantown.

But new problems include epilepsy and he is reliant on medication to control it.

Ms Smith said: "We are now having to camp in our sitting room thanks to all the red tape and lack of support to adapt the house.

"But we are here and couldn’t be happier.

"Davy is so determined and motivated, he is adamant he will dance at our wedding."

Before being hit with Covid, Mr Duncan had been super fit, trail running, cycling, hill running, wild swimming and waterfall diving.

He is determined to get into the peaks again.

Grantown-based charity Equal Adventure is helping with an accessible chair suitable for mountain terrain.

The other dream the couple have is to bring over all those he owes his life to: "These are people who put a stranger's life first but could never afford to travel."

They include the doctor who looked after Mr Duncan when he was taken off the ship and the medic who saved his life in Villahermosa.

"He calls Davy his miracle as he was not expected to pull through. A physio, Jose Carlos, worked daily to keep his muscles moving... the hotel manager who gave his staff time off to help and organised a large campaign to get him blood.

"There were so many kind people.

"It would be great to have them and their partners, here to celebrate and thank them for their role in getting us here today. Without them Davy would not be here and we would not be getting married!"

There have been offers for free accommodation for those who can come over.

Ms Smith said: "We just need to get them here. Anyone with airline connections who can get a great deal on flights would also be appreciated!"

Mrs Wares told the Strathy: "If anyone in the strath would like to help with raffle prizes – or even to buy tickets for the one we're holding – they can contact me through my Facebook page or email me at fiona.wares@yahoo.co.uk"

So far £2310 has been raised towards the target of £8000.

The link can be found here


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