Adrian Nicholas King, a 39-year-old gay man from Stafford, was on a safari in Egypt when he suffered sudden kidney failure.
He was taken to a hospital in Cairo where he slipped into a coma and was put on life support. Meanwhile, his family back in England wasn’t alerted of his condition until four days later.
The following Tuesday, they got another call. They were told King had passed away at 4 AM.
But the nightmare was only just beginning.
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The hospital told King’s mother, Elaine Gilbert, that they had switched off his dialysis machine without first alerting her. On top of that, they said there had been an issue with how he had filled out his insurance form when he first checked in, and she now owed them £40,000 ($51,600).
Then came the real kicker.
Gilbert was told they would not release her son’s body until she forked over the money.
Related: Grindr Warns Egyptian Users: That Cute Guy Might Be An Undercover Cop
“It’s disgusting they would do that to a human life,” she tells GayStarNews. “They’re supposed to save lives. But money comes first.”
In the days since, King’s boyfriend, Eric, and his father have been frantically making calls in an effort to bring their loved one home. They’ve also enlisted the help of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
“We have been in close contact with Mr King’s family since his death,” a FCO spokesperson says. “We are advising them on their options and liaising with the Egyptian authorities on their behalf.”
But Gilbert is not hopeful.
“I don’t think there’s any way we’re going to get him back,” she says. “All I can think it’s just an empty vessel, it’s not my son. If I think my son is still in Egypt, it’s just too much.”
Egypt does not have a great track record when it comes to LGBTQ people. Authorities have been known to use apps like Grindr to track down and arrest gay men, and in 2015, a court ruled that LGBTQ foreigners can be deported or banned from the country.
For now, King’s family is trying to move forward by planning a memorial service.
“We’re going to be having a celebration of his life, a funeral without the body,” Gilbert says.
Related: Egyptian Police Arrest 25 Naked Men In Bathhouse Raid
Xzamilloh
Can’t say I’m surprised that Egypt is that bass ackwards, considering their deplorable record on human rights.
sanfranderek
Is this gay news?
Would the situation be any different if he was straight?
barkomatic
Since it involves a gay man in a country somewhat hostile to gay people then this is “gay news”. Also, I would imagine hospitals in Egypt might treat this situation different if he were straight.
ChrisK
This is the kind of healthcare Republicans want.
CaliKyle
Correct. Sad.
MediaGuy
ChrisK. Besides being an illiterate dweeb, who, I’m surprised can even spell his own name, I just have a question for you. Is Obamacare so great? Seriously, you act like republicans want to throw the gold standard of healthcare in the trash. In case you haven’t noticed, Obamacare is a useless piece of sh*it which, if President Trump didn’t repeal and replace would have fallen apart on it’s own. Obamacare is crap, just like the guy they named it after. And, if you respond, please make it readable.
Bob LaBlah
Not only that but this incidents reminds me of an incident that happened back in the early 1990’s (I don’t remember if Bush or Clinton was president) where the U.S. government demanded that an American pay a $45k flight cost fee to bring a loved one who had died of HIV in China. China would not allow the body to be placed in a coffin and allowed back home on a commercial flight. It demanded that the military must fly the body out and refused to budge. The military said that it would comply but demanded payment UP FRONT before it sent in the plane to fly the poor gay man home to be buried.
The poor guy’s only mistake was wanting to see the Great Wall before he died. He got his wish but some how I doubt if he intended for all of that to happen in the event he died over there. Just a reminder to a lll who travel overseas: never forget that we are all human and are not guaranteed to wake up and see tomorrow. If you are going overseas look closely at travelers insurance offered. You never know and here is a perfect example of what happens when you forgo paying just a little more for a just in case scenario that hopefully won’t but COULD occur.
GeorgiaGyrl56
@MediaGuy
Yes, the ACA is that great, especially if you put it up against what you’re likely to get from this administration. If you put it up against the uncertainty of whether or not you will even have insurance, yes,it is a much better choice!
I am a 58 year old widow that recently had to apply for disability. As it stands now I am taking 5 medications daily and it will soon go up. With the repeal of the ACA I will be left with nothing, and no choices. I am physically unable to work from “previously existing conditions”, and I am too young to collect Social Security. Please explain to me how I am better off without the ACA and with the so-far nonexistent Republican replacement?
Ken A.
I do not understand why people hate Obamacare. It works great for me and I’m fighting to keep it. Trump be damned. He’s not president and never really wanted to be, he just wants the power of the presidential pen to undo everything Obama worked hard for. He’s using the presidency for his own personal vendetta against Obama.
oilgun
MediaGuy Couldn’t you have expressed your opinion without insulting the OP? Oh right, you’re a Trump supporter.
MediaGuy
@ Ken A. You’re right, Trump never really expected to be President. Nobody expected him to win. He was just as surprised as the rest of us. I cannot think what it’s like to lose to someone like this. It’s the hardest loss imaginable. You get 3 million more votes, yet you lose to a guy who never really cared about being President. Wow. I too would have fainted and ran out the back door of the Javitz center without giving my supporters the courtesy of a “see ya, love ya, good job”. Now that it’s all over I really hope she just goes away, for good. There’s nothing left for you Hillary, you lost and lost and lost, now go away. Nobody wants to hear another thing from you, ever again. Bye, bye.
1EqualityUSA
They figured it out in Massachusetts, and they’re happy with it now. It takes time. ChrisK, do not let the schoolyard bully silence you. It’s a form of censorship. His parents must have done a number on him.
GeorgiaGyrl56, I’m sorry for your loss and subsequent financial hardships. Social Workers may be able to help you navigate the system. Health care should not be used as a political pawn. Republicans are manifestly uncaring. I hope you find peace.
1EqualityUSA
The world was treated to a spectacle, thanks to Putin and his merry band of thieves. I’m proud that the world will also witness how we deal, civilly, with an aberration such as Trump. No need for Polonium 210 on the end of an umbrella tip. We manage our monsters by legal means and our impeachment process. What a lesson for the world to see. Trump is a farce, his followers, duped. The kind of dorks who pick on another’s grammar when their own grammar is deficient. How, “Trumpy.”
MediaGuy
http://www.gaypatriot.net/
Bob LaBlah
Adults are talking here. Why don’t you take to twitter like your idol in the WH does and find some one to play with. And remember that if your unsuccessful there you can always revert back to playing with yourself since you have so much time and frustration on your hands.,
ChrisK
Is MediaGuy another Mo bro creation I wonder?
I always wonder why these dipshit queer Trump supporting Republicans even bother coming here. I’m pretty sure not one person has ever been convinced to switch sides.
1EqualityUSA
No, even MoBro wouldn’t be such a hag. He’s more like Letterman. (Perhaps this is before your time.) The psych facility must have let Letterman out. We figured out where he lived. One even posted a picture of his house. Notorious troll and not tech savvy.
Chris
if it was me, I’d hope my family told them to keep the body. But then, I’d be just as happy being fed to wild animals; so…
GeorgiaGyrl56
And I agree.
1EqualityUSA
a go-fund me account would resolve this in days.
Jaroslaw
My cousin had a brain tumor and got excellent care via Obamacare. If she hadn’t had it, she would have owed a huge bill since most people have health insurance through employment. She was unable to work for several years for a number of reasons, but not sick enough to qualify for social security. Civilized societies provide healthcare for their citizens. If the excuse is “we can’t afford it” you need to look at Nicholas Shaxson’s book “Treasure Islands, Tax havens and the men who stole the world.” There are numerous short Youtubes on the subject 10-20 minutes. Also “We’re not broke” is another excellent Youtube outlining many things around 2006 – 2008, but my favorite was how Congress was convinced to lower the capital gains tax for offshore income (?) – (which raises the question why the rich have such a problem paying taxes AFTER all their myriad deductions such as skyboxes and extravagant lunches as business expenses) but congress lowered it. The corporations laid everyone off for huge spike in the stock market and congress changed the law back.
winemaker
To Bob la blah; What do you expect from chjna for doing this to an American gay man who wanted to see the great wall . doesn’t surprise me from the worlds largest, prison camp, toilet and basically SHITHOLE!
Daniel-Reader
Sad that Egypt is a failed nation run by corruption. Rule of law is pointless there.
Bob LaBlah
Egypt has male prostitutes who have certain streets in Cairo where they peddle their “wares” almost (but not quite) openly. They also have a heroin problem as does, believe it or not, Saudi Arabia.
lessthan
You know, sometimes this is a scam. Maybe they should contact the safari company before forking the money over.