Man ‘shattered spine’ at Outer Banks family reunion. A team got him 10,000 miles home

An Australian man is finally back home after shattering part of his spine during a freak diving accident at an Outer Banks, North Carolina, family reunion three months ago, according to a Sentara Norfolk (Virginia) General Hospital statement Friday.

“His life was forever changed after he dove into the Pamlico Sound to join his family in a game of catch,” the news release said.

“Tragically, Gilbert (Sahyoun) is now quadriplegic, paralyzed from the chest down and unable to use his hands,” Sayhoun said on a GoFundMe account that he and his aunts and uncles created to raise money for his 10,000-mile trip home and ongoing treatment there.

The account, opened Sept. 26, raised about $82,000 from 459 donors by Saturday.

Sahyoun “was airlifted” to the Norfolk hospital and “rushed into the first of many surgeries” after he dove into the sound, the hospital news release said. “He was confined to a hospital bed ... for nearly three months.”

According to Sahyoun’s GoFundMe account, his health insurance “does not extend benefits to care in the United States. He desperately (needed) to return home, not only for medical treatment, which will be covered in Australia, but to be near his family.”

Sahyoun “is the provider for his family, which includes his mother and sister (both with chronic illnesses) and father,” according to his GoFundMe page.

A Sentara Norfolk General Hospital care management team “worked tirelessly with Gilbert and his family to maximize resources to coordinate his journey home that would ensure a proper hand-off from the Sentara care team to the one in his hometown,” according to the hospital.

He arrived in Sydney early Thursday, the hospital’s news release said.

“Gilbert was greeted by his Uncle Charles with a large grin and warm hug,” according to the news release. “He will continue to receive care close to family.”

Sentara Health tweeted Thursday : “Stories like this remind us of the incredible passion and dedication our care team provides patients. “

This story was originally published November 3, 2018 at 11:45 AM.