Kylee Enwright’s family plead for help to get Singleton woman home after fall in Phuket, Thailand

Grandmother Kylee Enwright was enjoying poolside drinks before a toilet visit prompted a horrific fall. Now, she is in a coma in a Thai hospital and her insurer says they won’t cover her.

A Singleton grandmother remains in a coma after falling and hitting her head while holidaying in Thailand, as her family desperately tries to raise the funds to fly her home after her travel insurance company used bar tabs and CCTV to determine she was too drunk for it to cover her hospital bills.

And with the medical bill already surpassing $50,000 – increasing by more than $5000 a day – the family of Kylee Enwright are pleading with fellow Australians to help them out.

Ms Enwright, 43, appears to have mistaken a 50cm-high timber walkway for stairs on the first full day of what was supposed to be a fortnight-long Phuket holiday with her husband Paul.

The respected Hunter Valley businesswoman fell face first and has not regained consciousness but for a few slight opening of her eyes in the last 10 days.

Her son Harrison and stepchildren Jacinda and Slade have rushed to their mum’s bedside, their concerns and grief exacerbated after their travel insurance company knocked back their claim because they deemed Ms Enwright had consumed too much alcohol.

Kylee Enwright (pictured left with grandson Leo) remains in a coma in a Phuket hospital after falling on May 28. Pictures: Supplied. right.

Mr Enwright told The Newcastle News that he was unaware there was an alcohol clause in their travel insurance with Cover-More and questioned whether many travellers would be aware that he had since been told there was a blood alcohol concentration threshold before claims would be rejected.

He said Cover-More agents had told him that investigators used footage of his wife walking immediately before the accident and their bar tab – which showed nine Long Island iced teas had been ordered on their room tab while Mr Enwright was drinking beer – to determine Ms Enwright could have had a blood-alcohol level of 0.35.

Kylie Enwright (second from right) with (from left) stepdaughter Jacinda Enwright, father-in-law Rodney Enwright and husband Paul Enwright). Kylee Enwright suffered severe head injuries in a fall. Picture: Supplied

No blood tests were taken from Ms Enwright when she was admitted to hospital.

Cover-More’s product disclosure statement suggested a blood alcohol concentration level of 0.19 or above – which is almost four times the legal driving limit – would void an insurance claim.

The statement says that level would be “evidenced” by a blood test or could take “into account” items such as medical reports, eyewitness reports, admissions and “the description of events you described to us or the treating medical professional”.

“We had just got here, we have had a rough few years with the pandemic and our business and were here to enjoy ourselves,” Mr Enwright said from Thailand.

Kylee Enwright holding grandchildren Aurora and Leo. Picture: Supplied.

“Yes, we had a few drinks when the pool bar opened. We were about to go and get changed and head out for dinner when Kylee said she needed to go to the toilet.”

A Cover-More spokesman said the company “will not and cannot comment on the individual or specific details of the case due to our privacy commitment”.

“Cover-More is fair and reasonable in our claims processes, and we make our decisions after thoroughly assessing all available details and medical information. We gave Kylee’s husband, Paul, a detailed and transparent explanation for declining this claim,” the spokesman said in a statement.

“This is a sad case, and we will continue to offer Paul and Kylee and their families all the non-financial assistance Cover-More can.

“This includes help with arranging repatriation to Australia, assisting with hospital admissions and a ground ambulance in Australia, travel arrangements and making appointments with local medical practitioners overseas or in Australia.”

Some of the footage, which has been released to The Newcastle News, shows Ms Enwright walk off a timber walkway, possibly thinking they were stairs, and losing her balance down the 50cm-high “step” before landing on her face.

She was rushed to a local hospital before being taken to a larger hospital in Phuket, where Mr Enwright was asked to pay a 500,000 baht ($A21, 532). He could muster 300,000 baht ($A12,922) and the surgery went ahead.

Doctors attempted to bring Ms Enwright out of her coma a few days after the accident, but she has not regained consciousness.

Singleton businesswoman Kylee Enwright, pictured here with family (from left): soon-to-be daughter-in-law Ellie Russell, son Harrison Lee, granddaughter Aurora Enwright (being held by Kylee), husband Paul Enwright, stepdaughter Jacinda Enwright and stepson Slade Enwright. Kylee has suffered severe head injuries in a fall in Thailand on May 28, 2023. Picture: Supplied

And Mr Enwright – who owns a pest control business with his wife in Singleton – said he was being pressured to pay the medical bill as it skyrockets past $50,000 with an added $5000 a day.

The Australian consulate has been unable to help him and companies who specialise in flying badly injured overseas Australians back home are quoting him $200,000 upfront before they can take her.

Doctors believe Ms Enwright’s condition could allow her to fly in a few days.

“I just want to get her back to Australia. I don’t care where in Australia, just as long as Kylee is being treated in our health system,” Mr Enwright said.

“I don’t know where to run or what to do.

“We have been to Thailand many times but we obviously didn’t know the system – you take out travel insurance thinking you are covered whatever happens overseas.

“But that is not the case.”

A GoFundMe page has been set up in the hope of raising funds to get Ms Enwright home.