A British restaurant boss is fighting for his life in Thailand after he was mown down by a pair of Russian tourists on a high-powered motorbike.
Ricky Eury, 39, suffered severe head injuries when he was struck by Sergei Medvedev’s XMAX motorcycle as he crossed the road in Phuket on Saturday lunchtime.
Medvedev and his wife Svetlana, who was riding pillion, were arrested at the scene while Ricky, from Bristol, was rushed to hospital where doctors discovered he had multiple skull fractures, fractured ribs, a broken nose and bleeding on the brain.
His distressed parents, devastated girlfriend Hannah Ryan and younger brother Joey, jumped on the first flight to Thailand after they received heart-breaking news that Ricky may not last the night.
But upon landing, they discovered that they would have to pay up to £10,000 a day to continue Ricky’s treatment – as the severity of his head injuries mean he can’t share travel insurance details with them.
Ricky’s friend Solomon Wilkinson, 36, who launched a GoFundMe page to pay the hospital bills, explained: ‘Ricky has been unconscious so we cannot confirm his insurance information.
‘His family had to pay the hospital the equivalent of £10,000 today on his third day of treatment.’
Mum Annette Eury, 73, added: ‘He has just started talking but he only has a two-minute memory.
Ricky Eury (pictured), 39, suffered severe head injuries when he was struck by Sergei Medvedev’s XMAX motorcycle as he crossed the road in Phuket on Saturday lunchtime
Ricky in hospital where doctors discovered he had multiple skull fractures, fractured ribs, a broken nose and bleeding on the brain
The 39-year-old had just had lunch after a session at the gym when he was struck by the reckless motorbike rider
‘He keeps asking if he can get up. And then two minutes later he asks the same question again.’
Hannah, 39, told MailOnline: ‘When I heard what had happened to Ricky, I worried that he wasn’t going to be alive when we got there.
‘My whole world has collapsed.’
Dad George Eury, 66, explained: ‘We found out Ricky had been hurt at 8am on Saturday morning – I was totally devastated.
‘I could hear Ricky screaming in the background in pain when his friend was on the phone to us. His friend said we needed to get out there quick.
‘He told us that Ricky had suffered severe head injuries. We didn’t know if he was going to live or die.
‘My biggest fear was that I wouldn’t see him alive again. So, after I put the phone down, I booked the lights out that evening.’
Mum Annette added: ‘That was the longest 24 hours of my life.
Ricky has now regained consciousness and has begun to talk – but doctors do not yet know the full extent of his injuries
‘When we were in the air, we couldn’t contact anyone, so we didn’t know whether he was going to be alive when we got there.’
Ricky was transferred to the intensive care unit of the Bangkok Hospital Phuket and survived the first 36-hours, which are crucial for severe head injuries.
The 39-year-old, whose Gorilla Thai Kitchens in Bristol were nominated for Uber Eats restaurant of the year in 2024, had been in Phuket since February for Thai-boxing training.
He had just had lunch after a session at the gym when he was struck by the reckless motorbike rider.
Ricky has now regained consciousness and has begun to talk – but doctors do not yet know the full extent of his injuries.
Dad George, a retired fisheries manager, from Devon, explained: ‘Ricky is very strong and very much into his fitness.
‘The doctors said his fitness will help his recovery.
Ricky and his family. His distressed parents, devastated girlfriend Hannah Ryan and younger brother Joey, jumped on the first flight to Thailand after they received heart-breaking news that Ricky may not last the night
Ricky, whose Gorilla Thai Kitchens in Bristol were nominated for Uber Eats restaurant of the year in 2024, had been in Phuket since February for Thai-boxing training
‘But we don’t know what the future holds. We don’t know whether he has got brain damage or what.
‘We are living day by day, hour by hour at the moment.
‘We are staying in Thailand for as long as it takes.
‘We have commitments at home, but Ricky comes first.’
Hospital doctors say they are positive that Ricky will recover from his injuries but have warned that it is likely to take some time.
