Cwmbran man fighting for life in Thai hospital has ‘woken up'
On May 30 29-year-old Ashton Jones, travelled to Bangkok Thailand with his lifelong friend for a lad's holiday.
Sadly, just five days later his family received the news that Ashton had been separated from his friend and had undergone extensive emergency brain surgery.
29-year-old Ashton Jones from Cwmbran has 'woken up' after fighting for his life in a Thai hospital (Image: Angela Roden Shepherd) Now just a week later Ashton's gone from having a do not resuscitate order in place to being able to show basic signs of communication.
Childhood friend Angela Roden Shepherd aged 50 has been a shoulder for Ashton's family to lean on.
In an emotional post online, she shared the happy news.
Angela said: 'Progress is really good for Ashton. I actually spoke to him today which was amazing.
'I say speak I can speak to him, and he can acknowledge. He can nod and he can shake his head and that's purely because he's got the tube going down his throat.
'He's still being ventilated and tube fed but he is trying really hard to speak. He told his dad he loves him, told his friends that he misses them.'
Ashton a week earlier fighting for his life in a Thai hospital (Image: Angela Roden Shepherd) When Ashston went to Thailand he didn't have medical insurance in place.
So, the family set up a GoFundMe to help raise money to bring him back to the UK.
An incredible £22,110 has been raised so far which Angela explained has been going towards Ashton's increasing medical bills.
In the video Angela said: 'We've raised an amazing amount of money, but we still have a little bit of a way to go.
'All our medical bills are starting to come out. As an example, the ventilator he's on is costing 60,000 baht a day which I believe is around £50 to £60.'
'That's without his medication, that's without his feeding tube, without the care the staff have been giving him every night he stays in hospital. So, we still do need to keep raising money.'
Childhood friend Angela Roden Shepherd has been a shoulder for Ashton's family to lean on. (Image: Angela Roden Shepherd) Unsurprisingly Ashton's family are relieved that signs of recovery are starting to show.
Angela told the Argus: 'In less than a week we've gone from having a do not revive in place to Ashton communicating with us.
'As the days go on, he's not stopping. He's smiling he's chatting he's telling his dad he loves him but it's still not safe for him to fly because of the length of time after surgery.
'The family are over the moon they just want him home now.'
A community fundraiser is being held at the Halfway Pub in old Cwmbran.
The event is taking place July 5 with all funds going towards bringing Ashton home.
A raffle is being held alongside a barbecue and karaoke.
The fundraiser will be running from 12pm onwards.
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