Mother forced to raise £11,000 for son’s medical bills after he was stabbed in the head

Yvonne Thompson was handed the hefty bill shortly after arriving at her son’s hospital bedside

Yvonne Thompson rushed to Reading from Barbados after learning that her son had been stabbed (Yvonne Thompson)

A mother fell to the floor screaming after being told her only son had been stabbed in the head - and was later informed his NHS medical bill would cost more than £11,000.

Tharel Thompson had only been in the UK for three days on a trip to visit family, when he was attacked in the Walkabout nightclub in Reading shortly after 2am on Sunday 11 February.

The 28-year-old was rushed to hospital but remains in a critical condition after the knife wound struck his right temple and pierced his brain.

Given that he is uninsured and not a British citizen, his family was handed a hefty bill within hours of arriving at John Radcliffe Hospital, with the figure likely to rise given the costs of additional treatment he will require.

“I had only been there a couple of hours when the lady handed me the bill,” his mother Yvonne Thompson said. “That is just an estimate, we have no idea what the bill will be and we don’t know how long he will be in hospital for. He is going to need a lot of physical and psychological therapy.”

Having last visited the UK from their native Barbados when he was just five years old, Ms Thompson had been delighted when her son said he wished to revisit and see his cousins and family.

Tharel Thompson had been at Reading’s Walkabout nightclub when he was stabbed (Yvonne Thompson)

The lighting technician had recently been recuperating from a motorcycle accident, and had been looking forward to a holiday.

However, while out with his father’s family in Reading city centre, he suffered catastrophic injuries and remains in a medically induced coma, with significant pressure on his brain.

“When I woke up I saw missed calls from his father, immediately after his cousin gave me the news,” she said. “I was screaming because I couldn’t understand how this could happen. I was puzzled and shocked.”

She immediately booked an overnight flight to London and travelled straight to the hospital, where she was greeted with a “real horror scene”.

Tharel remains in a medically induced coma and will require extensive physiotherapy (Yvonne Thompson)

“It was unbelievable, I couldn’t believe it was my only child. There were so many wires hooking him to different machines. He was in surgery for hours until they got the bleeding under control, and he is still very critical.”

Two men, Krisma Anthony, 23, and Jahlil Chales, 22, have been charged with attempted murder and have been remanded into custody. Both are next due to appear at Reading Crown Court on 11 March.

Mr Thompson’s family are now faced with the stark prospect of raising thousands to pay for his care, and face an uncertain future given the extent of his injuries.

“Tharel is a free spirit,” his mother said. “He is passionate about everything, he likes to dress nice and cares about how he presents himself. He likes jet skis and motorcycles, and never complains as he’s a dedicated worker.

“One thing he always does is tell me that he loves me every day.” Having already undergone two surgeries, doctors have told his family that they must now patiently wait for the pressure to reduce, before efforts are made to awaken him.

They have now launched a GoFundMe to help raise the funds for his treatment, which has already raised a staggering £20,000 in recent days.

“I just want to thank everyone who has donated so far,” Ms Thompson said. “From all of the hospital staff and all our friends and family in Barbados, it means the world.”