A British tourist, Alan Kirby, aged 67, has died in Athens after experiencing severe pain in his side during dinner. His family confirmed that he succumbed to septic shock on Monday. Initially, Alan believed the discomfort stemmed from playing with his stepdaughter's children in the sea while on holiday in Zante.

After waking up breathless, he sought medical attention. Doctors advised him to return to the UK for a biopsy concerning a mass in his lung, which raised concerns about potential cancer. However, before he could make the journey home, his condition worsened, necessitating the use of a ventilator. This situation made it impossible for him to take a commercial flight back to the UK, leading to his airlift to a private hospital in Athens.

His family had been actively raising funds to cover the costs of the ambulance flight home. In a heartfelt message on his GoFundMe page, his stepdaughter, Liza Whitemore, expressed gratitude for the support received over the past eight weeks. She wrote, "We would like to thank all your support and donations over the last eight weeks. It comes with great sadness that Alan gained his wings in the night in Athens; we will be heading out to Athens to have a cremation."

Complications arose when hospital officials contacted Alan's insurance company, which revealed that he was aware of the mass in his lung. British doctors had previously described it as fatty tissue and advised him not to worry. This information classified the condition as pre-existing, which Alan had not declared to his insurers, resulting in the invalidation of his coverage. Consequently, his family is now facing a £14,000 bill.

While Alan was on a ventilator in a hospital that accepted his Global Health Insurance Card, he was too ill to fly home on a regular flight. However, he lacked insurance to cover the £45,000 cost of a private medical flight back to the UK.