Australian Father of Four Faces Long Recovery After Severe Spinal Injury in Philippines Accident
A Gwandalan man, Daniel Rapa, 40, has suffered a catastrophic spinal cord injury after a motorbike accident in the Philippines, leaving his family grappling with overwhelming medical costs and an uncertain road to recovery. The father of four boys, aged two to 14, was travelling home on his motorbike at approximately 9:45 PM on February 20 when he encountered an unmarked, open road excavation with no visible warning signs.
According to his wife, Janice Rapa, Daniel fell into the roadworks site, resulting in multiple head cuts and a severe spinal cord injury affecting his C5 vertebra. Emergency services rushed him to hospital, where he underwent major spinal decompression surgery. During the procedure, his C4 disc and C5 vertebra and disc were removed and reconstructed using a bone graft taken from his hip.
Medical Complications and Ongoing Challenges
Although the surgery was deemed successful, Daniel developed pneumonia several days later and is currently being treated for fluid in his lungs, requiring strong intravenous antibiotics. Janice reported that he is experiencing severe nerve pain, jerking movements, and spasticity in his lower limbs, along with significant weakness in both legs and no movement in his fingers.
Due to a lack of specialist spinal surgeons in Bohol, Daniel was urgently transferred to Chong Hua Hospital in Cebu. He is now under the care of ten specialists co-managing his treatment, with hospital bills already reaching around $15,000, not including doctor fees, and costs continue to rise.
Family's Desperate Plea for Support and Repatriation
A GoFundMe campaign titled "Mum desperate to bring son home" has been established by Daniel's mother, Cheryle Rapa, to help cover medical expenses, ongoing care, transport, and rehabilitation. Cheryle expressed the family's deep wish to bring Daniel and Janice back to Australia, where he can access specialised spinal rehabilitation services that may improve his chances of regaining mobility and potentially walking again.
Janice explained that repatriation requires Daniel to be stable enough for a domestic 1.5-hour flight to Manila, followed by an eight-hour flight to Sydney on a stretcher, possibly with a medical escort. This would necessitate eight seats on a commercial flight. Alternatively, the family might wait until Daniel is strong enough to travel in a wheelchair while managing his ongoing pain.
Current Rehabilitation and Family Situation
Daniel has begun daily bedside rehabilitation to maintain and gradually rebuild his strength, with the immediate goal of safely transitioning from bed to a wheelchair so he can eventually be discharged and continue intensive therapy. As he fights to recover with Janice by his side in hospital, their four children are being cared for by her family in Bohol.
Daniel and Janice moved to the Philippines in June 2022 to experience island life in the tropical paradise of Panglao, marrying in July last year and managing a small hotel business in Bohol. The accident has abruptly halted their plans, leaving the family facing a long and uncertain journey ahead.
