'We love you‚ pull through Brad' – says family of SA man clinging to life in Vietnam

From thousands of kilometres away‚ the family of a South African man who is clinging to life after a tragic accident in Vietnam is holding on to hope that he will come out alive.

"We love him so much and he really needs to pull through because we need him. We all have those people that you really can't live without‚" said his distraught sister‚ Shannon Purchase.

Her brother Brad Purchase‚ from Howick in KwaZulu-Natal‚ is in a coma in Hanoi‚ Vietnam‚ after a freak accident.

The 28-year-old was travelling on a motorbike with a flat mate‚ also a South African‚ when he slipped and fell. He crashed into a lamp post‚ sustaining severe injuries.

The accident happened on Monday morning. Shannon told TimesLIVE that Brad's jaw took most of the impact and was badly broken.

One of his ribs was broken in three places and he suffered a lesion to his left lung. His family have launched a crowd-funding campaign to cover his escalating medical bills while in hospital.

Purchase matriculated from Howick High School and studied graphic design at Durban University of Technology. He saved for his trip by working in his field of study and also did some freelance work.

He left for Vietnam in March to teach English as a foreign language.

"This was his biggest adventure‚ he has been planning for quite a while and he was really excited about it. He was really happy and content with his life over there‚" Shannon said‚ describing Brad as a "precious‚ gentle soul".

"He is very caring and did everything for his family and friends. He has such a deep love for his family and friends and it is very special to see all these people come out now to support Brad.

"When things happened‚ he would feel the pain for you."

She said Brad had always hoped to be at peace and happy in life. He has strong family ties‚ loves children and is fond of his niece‚ Sage. He had a sage leaf tattooed on his arm.

"When we got sent the picture of him in a coma‚ we were so touched by the sage leaf tattoo looking back up at us from the picture. We knew that he had to make it‚" Shannon said.

She said his main goals in life were more about quality of life and less about money.

"He has always been someone who persuaded us to be happy and always reminded us that money does not matter as long as you are happy." He hoped to one day start his own graphic design studio.

His mother flew out on Tuesday to support him. Although still in a coma‚ Brad was apparently pleased to know that his mother was coming to be with him‚ according to friends.

"The friends said when they told Brad that his mom is coming‚ tears came out of his eyes. My mother said when she arrived he looked up to her and she tried to make a sound or a word‚ but nothing really made any sense to him.

"Since then he had been non-responsive again but she did say that she got a hand squeeze from him. He is aware of what is going on but can't really do much about it‚" Shannon said.

His medical bills are currently sitting at R150‚ 000. The family is expecting his total medical bill to be in the region of R280‚000.

They have started a crowd-funding campaign for the medical expenses through the website BackABuddy.

By Wednesday afternoon they had raised R110‚000.