A father has raised a cautionary message for travelers following the tragic passing of his son alongside his two children while en route to Bulgaria. Chris Neill, aged 40, and his sons, Reece, 20, and Archie, 9, embarked on a journey from Liverpool’s John Lennon Airport to Burgas on September 16 last year when Chris fell critically ill during the flight. In response, Chris’ parents, Mal and Lesley, initiated a GoFundMe campaign to gather funds for repatriating his remains back to the UK.
The fundraiser exceeded expectations, amassing nearly £10,000 beyond the £15,000 goal. Mal later disclosed that the surplus was allocated to establish a trust fund for the two boys after covering Chris’ repatriation and funeral costs on the anniversary of his passing.
Subsequently, Mal hurried to Germany to retrieve Reece and Archie, ensuring their safe return to the UK, while staying behind in Cologne to manage the administrative tasks with the coroner. Reflecting on the unfortunate incident, Mal shared that Chris mistakenly believed he had travel insurance through his former bank, Halifax, but the policy had lapsed.
Now, Mal emphasizes the importance of securing travel insurance prior to any vacation plans, stressing the significance of verifying insurance coverage. He advised, “Always check your insurance and if you don’t have insurance, don’t take a chance assuming you won’t require any.”
Mal, aged 69 and battling terminal cancer in Bromborough, Merseyside, mentioned how Reece, along with his girlfriend and friends, climbed Snowden in memory of his late father. The family has developed a close bond with the paramedic, Rachael-Victoria Leyland, who made efforts to save Chris’ life during the flight. Rachael-Victoria recounted the incident on Facebook, detailing the medical emergency and the unsuccessful resuscitation attempts.
In a heartfelt tribute, Mal, a former Merseyside Police officer, described his son as a dedicated Everton enthusiast who cherished his children and radiated a lively and helpful persona, fondly remembered by many.