A TORPOINT family is appealing to the local community for urgent help to bring their father home from Thailand, where he is critically ill an fighting for his life.

Alexander William Parker, 73, a decorated veteran of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, has spent the last five months in and out of hospital. His children flew out last month to find him unconscious and struggling to survive.

Doctors suspect lymphoma that has now spread, but repeated biopsies have been inconclusive. He is unable to access the specialist treatment he needs locally, leaving his family desperate for a solution.

Mr Parker’s condition is fragile. He suffers from a partially collapsed lung and other complications, meaning he requires a specialist medical repatriation flight, known as a Medevac, to safely return to the UK. The cost of the flight is £30,000 – an amount the family cannot cover alone after paying mounting hospital bills and seeking assistance from veteran charities without success.

His last wish is to return home to England, to be with his children and grandchildren, and to receive proper medical care. The family has launched a fundraising appeal, which to date has raised over £5,400.

Mr Parker served proudly in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary for over three decades, including deployments to the Falklands, Gulf, Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan – and he has long been a respected and loved figure within the veteran community.

The family is appealing directly to the public to help make Mr Parker’s final wish a reality. Donations can be made through their fundraising page as they race against time to arrange the critical flight.

The family hopes the community will rally around them in this desperate and critical moment, ensuring a hero can return to those he loves.

The GoFundMe page is www.gofundme.com/f/a-medical-repatriation-for-alexnader-william-parker