Crowdfunder launched for Cambridge teenager who suffered serious head injuries in Austrian bobsleigh crash

A crowdfunder has been launched by the friends of a 19-year-old from Cambridge who suffered a traumatic brain injury on holiday in Austria.

Ezra, of Fulbrooke Road, suffered serious head injuries when he lost control of a bobsleigh and crashed into a tree on a slope in Mittelberg around midnight, say police.

The teenager was on holiday with five friends when the incident occurred on 29 December on their first evening in the country.

Ezra, a student at Glasgow University, was discovered unresponsive and airlifted to hospital where he spent 10 days in intensive care. The teen was rescued by the Mittelberg-Hirschegg mountain rescue service with the support of the Mittelberg fire department. Around 25 people were involved in the rescue.

The teenager has now been moved to an early rehabilitation centre in Germany with his family following stays at clinics in Switzerland and Germany.

A crowdfunder to has been launched by his friends Anton, Isobel, James, Josh and Mikel, who hope to raise £10,000.

They said: “It’s hard to know how to help, or to contribute towards Ezra’s recovery, but there is something you can do; with kind hearts you can help by donating to our crowd funding campaign to raise funds for Ezra’s rehabilitation program as we navigate this challenging journey.

“As his friends, who were present during the accident, we feel compelled to do everything in our power to support Ezra and his family through these difficult times. The financial burden of medical bills, ongoing therapy, and the uncertainties of the future will no doubt weigh heavily. Your contribution will help rebuild Ezra’s life and give him the best chance to recover.”

His friends say Ezra is improving “day by day” and has recently begun to speak.

“He is able to walk in the centre corridors with someone at hand, even manages stairs with help, and has been outside briefly. By now he is able to eat normal food, and is regaining his former appetite. Ezra continues with an incredibly positive attitude, despite most things being very difficult,” they said.

“He gets exhausted very quickly, and so sleeps a lot. He sees double which annoys him during most actions. He is very keen to look ahead to when he can return back home and go back to getting on with his things in Cambridge and Glasgow.”

Visit the Just Giving page to donate.