Englewood couple Guy and Adrian Matlock left for a two-week European cruise in September filled with excitement about traveling overseas for the first time.
But six days into the trip celebrating their 37th wedding anniversary, Guy fell sick with Influenza A, which developed into pneumonia and then sepsis. He ended up hospitalized in critical condition in Copenhagen, Denmark with only Adrian by his side.
“It was supposed to be a big adventure with friends and a new cultural experience,” said daughter Moriah Matlock.
The infection spread to his lungs, heart and kidneys, causing “mini strokes” and sending him into cardiac arrest, according to a GoFundMe page for the family.
As the illness worsened, Moriah Matlock and her three siblings flew to Denmark to say goodbye to their father.
Against the odds, Guy began to turn the corner with his family by his side, opening his eyes for the first time since he was hospitalized during their visit, Moriah Matlock said.
But he has a long road to recovery and the family now faces another hurdle – finding a way to pay $150,000 for a medical flight to bring him home to Colorado.
“He has been getting great medical care out there, but the doctors specifically said he would benefit from being around his family and more English-speaking people consistently for his health and growth,” Moriah Matlock said.
The cost of the medical flight home was shocking, Matlock said, and insurance only covers a fraction.
“The shock of the number didn’t seem real and I think it still hasn’t sunk in,” she said. “This whole story doesn’t feel real – it feels like it was written for TV, like it shouldn’t be our story.”
The Matlocks’ effort to bring Guy home has gained international attention and their GoFundMe raised nearly $100,000 as of Wednesday night.
Moriah Matlock said she hopes to see her dad at home soon, watching NASCAR and cooking for friends and family with his trademark smile.
A GE Appliances technician by trade, Guy Matlock is the kind of person to give the shirt off his back — something Moriah Matlock has actually seen her dad do when he met someone who liked the shirt he was wearing.
“He’s always taken in everybody, anybody who ever needed anything,” she said. “He wasn’t just a dad to me, he was a dad to everybody.”
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