Tourist in Bali suffers brain injury after scooter crash

A young tourist is in a coma after a horrific road accident in Bali, just weeks after an Instagram post about how to handle scooters on the island.

An American tourist is in a coma with a traumatic brain injury after her motor scooter crashed in a horrific accident in Bali, leaving her family pleading for donations to bring her home.

Kaitlyn McCaffery, a travel blogger and entrepreneur from Santa Clara, California, was found unconscious by the side of the road on July 31, just weeks after posting on Instagram about how she “loved” using scooters to get around the island.

Her family has described on a GoFundMe page how Ms McCaffery was found by passers-by after the horror crash.

RELATED: Grim reality of travelling in Bali right now

Kaitlyn was travelling in Bali when the accident happened. Picture: GoFundMe

“Two young men found her on a remote road, alone, unconscious, broken and bleeding. Without their help, she surely would have died,” they wrote.

Two locals brought her to a hospital in Denpasar where she remains in a coma, but her family says the language barrier has complicated her treatment.

The family also says they have been denied visitation to see Ms McCaffery due to strict Covid-19 restrictions imposed by the Indonesian government.

“Thankfully, Kaitlyn has many loving friends who are by her side in Bali and are providing the family with updates around the clock. The family is doing everything they can to get to Bali,” the family wrote.

RELATED: Island paradise hoping to be our new Bali

The young woman is in a coma in a Denpasar hospital. Picture: GoFundMe

Now, Ms McCaffery’s family is begging for donations to cover the cost of evacuating her back to her home state of California after her insurance company refused to foot the bill.

“The costs to evacuate her using an experienced international medevac company, such as Air Med or International SOS, are extremely daunting.

“Due to the distance and Covid-related border closures, it is estimated that the cost will be approx. $250,000 US Dollars ($340,300).

RELATED: Best time to do ‘game changing’ Aussie trail

The avid traveller recently set up a business with a friend. Picture: GoFundMe

“The family has found a major trauma hospital in Northern California that is able to accept and care for her.”

The page raised more than $US165,000 ($224,600) just a day after it was created.

Ms Caffery launched an online business selling fair trade accessories last year with her friend Ellie.

According to their official Instagram page, the two describe themselves as “two girls changing people’s relationship with manufacturing”.

A post from two weeks ago shows Ms McCaffery on a motor scooter alongside the caption: “off we go to work today! this is how we will get all around Bali and we absolutely love it.”

Ms Caffery graduated from university five years ago with a degree in business entrepreneurship.

She set out to travel the world, and has now visited more than 50 countries, according to her family.

This article originally appeared on the US Sun and reproduced with permission