OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — One local family in Overland Park is trying to bring their son home from Mexico, after he was in an accident shortly after moving there.
Jim Cattey is the vice president of sales and merchandising at Smoke 'n' Fire in Overland Park, a one-stop shop for grilling appliances and accessories.
He is the father of three, and his oldest son Samuel, is 41-years-old.
"He can pretty much do whatever he decides he wants to do," Cattey said.
Samuel moved to Mexico on a temporary visa with a friend and his friend's family about a month-and-a-half ago.
"He decided to go to Mexico and enjoy the next 20 years of his life, was I think how he phrased it to his younger brother," Cattey said.
Last week, Samuel was found by Mexican police after what his family calls an unexplained, but bad accident.
"He’s got multiple fractures, both legs, one arm, skull fracture, he’s in pretty bad shape," Cattey said.
Samuel is intubated in a Mexican hospital, unable to speak.
He doesn’t have health insurance and needs to be stabilized before he’s flown back to the United States for additional surgeries.
"Not very many hospitals are trauma based that they can take a patient that’s in the scenario that Samuel is," Cattey said.
They haven’t found a local hospital to take him yet, and are also working with the U.S. State Department and U.S. Senator Jerry Moran’s office.
Cattey and his family get constant updates via WhatsApp, and he told KSHB 41 that if anyone can learn anything from his family’s current ordeal, it’s a legal consideration.
"If somebody’s traveling, you really need a power of attorney that someone can make decisions when you can’t," Cattey said. "And that’s where Samuel is right now."
As he and his family continue their work at Smoke ’n' Fire in Overland Park, he’s learned how valuable a community can be.
"People pulling together to support, it's huge," Cattey said.
He has a message for his son, before he brings him home.
"Samuel, people love you and they’re working hard to take care of you," Cattey said.
Moran’s office confirmed to KSHB 41 Thursday afternoon that they are in touch with Samuel’s family and working with them on his return.
A GoFundMe page is available to help cover Samuel’s expenses, and you can visit that here.
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