A man who suffered a stroke on a flight to Austria for his honeymoon last month was escorted back to Taiwan yesterday, by medical staff.
The 35-year-old man, surnamed Chen (陳), was taken from a China Airlines plane at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport on a stretcher and sent to Tungs’ Taichung MetroHarbor Hospital in Greater Taichung for further treatment.
Lu Li-hua (盧立華), a Tungs’ hospital spokesman, said Chen was recovering well following the surgery he underwent in Vienna, but the right side of his body was relatively powerless and would require rehabilitation.
Chen, a native of Changhua County, waved to his family members and gave an “OK” sign when he was carried into the hospital.
Changhua County Commissioner Cho Po-yuan (卓伯源) visited the hospital, where he expressed gratitude for the warm public response to a fundraiser organized by the county to help pay for Chen’s medical bills and his flight home.
“The drive raised about NT$1.7 million [US$56,600], about NT$1.5 million of which was used for Chen’s return trip. The remainder will be used to help cover his follow-up treatment,” Cho said.
Chen’s wife and mother bowed to the public to express their heartfelt thanks for all the help given to the family during his illness.
Chen’s wife said he developed abdominal pain on a flight to Vienna on Oct. 5.
“At first, I did not link it to a stroke,” she said.
Chen later fell into a coma and was taken to a hospital in Vienna. With assistance from Taiwan’s representative office in Vienna, Taiwanese expatriates in Austria and the family’s travel agency, Chen underwent surgery and spent the past month recovering there.
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