A Perth family is in a race against time to get their beloved father back home from an island hospital after he was struck down with a mystery illness.
Bicton man Dave Crocos is currently in a critical condition in American Samoa after falling sick on a dream cruise tour that was set to take him and his wife Jo from Los Angeles to Sydney, with stops in between.
The first hint something was wrong came when the 68-year-old began suffering a fever and aches soon after leaving Hawaii.
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When his condition did not improve during a stint in isolation, and cruise doctors said they were ill-equipped to deal with the situation, he was taken to LBJ Tropical Medicine Centre in American Samoa, where he has been for more than a week.
Concerning Crocos’ loved ones is the fact doctors on the South Pacific island still haven’t pinpointed the trigger for his major health downturn, but they say his situation is dire.
“Time’s against us,” his son Mathew Bierberg told 7NEWS.com.au.
“My mum and sister are with him in hospital, sleeping on the floor. We don’t know if he’s going to survive.”
The recently retired land surveyor was in good shape before departing, and even went for a pre-holiday health check to make sure he was set to go.
He’s now on a ventilator, sweating, off-colour and struggling to breathe, with fluid on his lungs.
Crocos’ family have been told he could have a bladder infection, but even doctors aren’t fully convinced.
“We’re hearing mixed stories,” Bierberg said
Crocos is fully insured but his path home has not been a smooth one.
A planned medevac flight to New Zealand was abandoned late due to a shortage of hospital beds.
The family have now been told he could be on a flight into Brisbane on Saturday, yet they are unsure if he will be well enough to survive the journey.
“He’s deteriorating rapidly. I don’t think he has days,” Bierberg said.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has been contacted for comment.
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