By Bryan Kay

A US television network has stepped in to meet the cost of transporting an American student, who has been in a coma in Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, for almost three months, back to her home city.

Kristin Stansell (25), a masters student in art history from Atlanta, was involved in a horrific road accident near Perth at the end of March while travelling with two fellow-students from St Andrews University.

Her friends escaped uninjured but Kristin, the driver, was left with multiple fractured bones and serious head injuries.

It was initially feared she might not pull through but she has spent the last 11 weeks making slow progress and is now semi-conscious and in a stable condition.

Her mother Kay, who is a nurse, has been caring for Kristin by her bedside since rushing to Scotland immediately after the crash.

She said the offer from NBC Channel 11 was an unbelievable slice of luck after fearing the family would have to fork out $70,000 to fly her home.

The family was also facing up to crippling hospital costs on her return to the States because Kristin had no medical insurance at home.

“I work at a big university in Atlanta called Emory and a friend’s daughter worked for Channel 11 doing human interest stories,” said Kay.

“It was through that contact that they came to know about Kristin and now they have said they will fly over and take her back.

“They are going to use a company called Medical Care Airlines. She is stable enough to travel and the plane is specially equipped—we just need oxygen and emergency equipment.

“We were going to set up a trust fund for her to help with her long-term care because in addition to the flight there was the expensive situation in the States if you have no medical insurance.

“We had to look around for a hospital but now we have found one. She is going to a charity hospital in Atlanta and the state of Georgia is paying the costs.”

Continued Kay, “She has recovered from the broken bones and her closed head injury, which involved bleeding on the inside, appears to be OK.

“The scans show no damage but, like the doctors told me, sometimes you just cannot explain what causes the brain to act the way it does.

“She was critical at first and we were not sure she was going to live. Now she moves all her extremities and makes facial expressions and eye contact, which they call tracking, where she follows hand movements.”

Kay’s husband and son flew to Scotland after the accident but have since returned to Atlanta to await Kristin’s return.

Kay is relieved that her daughter’s long-term care is now secure and she thanked the congregation of Dundee’s Steeple Church, who she said have helped enormously during a stressful period. She has been staying with a member of the congregation.

“I heard about the people at the church through my own church at home and they have really reached out to me,” she continued.

“So many people have helped. I have been all alone for a long time but I have met a lot of wonderful people and they have taken care of me.

“We are all confident Kristin is going to make a full recovery.”

Kay expects to hear from NBC in the next couple of weeks about when Kristin’s journey home is likely to take place.