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A British father-of-four who is fighting for his life in Mexico after he hit his head during a suspected seizure has been pictured for the first time.
Paul McKenna, 33, was enjoying the last day of a two-week family holiday with his wife, Amy, four children and parents-in-law in Cancun when he suffered the traumatic injury on Sunday at the Moon Palace hotel in the Puerto Morelos area.
McKenna, from Bootle near Liverpool, was rushed to hospital and placed on life support after suffering the suspected seizure before hitting his head on the floor of his hotel room, his family told the Liverpool Echo.
His family and friends are desperately trying to raise £100,000 for McKenna’s medical costs on JustGiving as his travel insurance does not cover his current condition.
Paul McKenna, 33, was enjoying the last day of a two-week family holiday with his wife, Amy, four children and parents-in-law in Cancun when he suffered the traumatic injury on Sunday at the Moon Palace hotel in the Puerto Morelos area
McKenna, an electrician, has been moved hospital three times in just two days in order to access specialist treatment.
His family and friends say it is not yet clear whether McKenna, who was supposed to fly back to the UK on the day of the incident, suffered a brain haemorrhage or had a stroke.
Initial reports in local media said a British tourist had fallen off a balcony and hit his head, but his family say that he had suffered a suspected seizure before hitting his head on the floor of his hotel room.
Joe Snellgrove, who has been friends with McKenna for 20 years, said that it is not clear what brought on the suspected seizure.
‘They think it started from sort of bug because the family had been ill,’ Snellgrove said. ‘Then on Sunday, he had a seizure, fell and banged his head. He was then induced into a coma.’
He added: ‘The current concern is that he’s had a brain haemorrhage but the first thought was he had a stroke. Still uncertainty surrounding what has actually happened.’
McKenna, from Bootle near Liverpool, was rushed to hospital and placed on life support after suffering the suspected seizure before hitting his head on the floor of his hotel room at the Moon Palace Hotel (pictured in file photo)
McKenna, an electrician, has been moved hospital three times in just two days in order to access specialist treatment in Cancun
Snellgrove continued: ‘We’re devastated. He’s a brilliant fella and he’d help everyone, like last year during a storm I had some damage to my house and he came out to help straight away.
‘We lost our chairman at Maghull Cricket Club who did everything [at the club] and Paul picked up all the slack.
‘He does all the things around there. He’s really well-known in the community and everyone’s feeling very upset and concerned.’
Snellgrove and his friend James Stanley have set up the JustGiving page to raise money for McKenna’s medical treatment and for his family’s accommodation so that they can stay with him in Mexico whilst he is in hospital.
‘Paul is an amazing lad with a wonderful family and a great friend to many, so please if you can find it in your head during these challenging times, any help would be greatly appreciated,’ Stanley wrote.
So far, more than £26,500 has been raised, Liverpool footballing legend Jamie Carragher donating £5,000 to the family.
MailOnline has contacted the Moon Palace Hotel in Cancun for comment.