Duncan Turner with his wife Michelle Edgar and their daughter Amelie.
Camera IconDuncan Turner with his wife Michelle Edgar and their daughter Amelie. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

Terminally ill Joondalup father reunited with family

Lauren PilatJoondalup Times

A TERMINALLY ill father who was stranded in Indonesia after falling during a bucket-list holiday with his family was reunited with his daughter this week.

Duncan Turner was stuck in Bali for almost two weeks after seriously injuring himself while on holiday with his partner Michelle Edgar and their daughter Amalie.

For what they expected to be their last family holiday, the Joondalup couple took five-year-old Amalie to Singapore to fulfil her dream of swimming with dolphins.

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Michelle Edgar and Duncan Turner with daughter Amalie on their way to Singapore.
Camera IconMichelle Edgar and Duncan Turner with daughter Amalie on their way to Singapore. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

With just months to live, Mr Turner helped make his daughter’s dream come true before badly injuring his knee while in transit to Perth via Bali, where he was taken to hospital for life-saving blood transfusions.

Without insurance and medical bills mounting, the couple were left stranded on the holiday island for about two weeks.

Amalie was flown back to Perth with her grandmother.

Duncan Turner and Michelle Edgar with Amalie in Singapore.
Camera IconDuncan Turner and Michelle Edgar with Amalie in Singapore. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

Ms Edgar feared they would go bankrupt and have to sell their house to pay for the mounting bills.

But before she knew it the Perth community rallied together to help support the family financially.

Close friends Lynette Hillier and Carmen Braidwood set up a GoFundMe page that ended up raising more than $31,000 for the family.

Ms Edgar was “overwhelmed” by the support because the bills had been “racking up minute by minute”.

The Joondalup family of three enjoying the sun on their bucket list holiday in Singapore.
Camera IconThe Joondalup family of three enjoying the sun on their bucket list holiday in Singapore. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

“I thought we were going to have to go bankrupt,” she said.

“I was praying that we weren’t going to lose this house.”

The money raised paid for Mr Turner’s medical bills and, once he was given the all-clear to fly, the couple returned home to Amalie.

On Monday, Ms Edgar’s 41st birthday, the couple arrived in Perth before Mr Turner was taken to Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital before being released and allowed to finally go home.

Mr Turner said he was very happy to be home and very grateful to the Perth community who supported them.

“There’s no place like home,” he said.

The couple plans to donate the money left over from the GoFundMe page once all their expenses were covered.