A family of a British gay man are fighting for their son’s body to be shipped home after a hospital in Egypt turned his life machine off.
39-year-old Adrian Nicholas King was on holiday in Egypt when he fell into a coma because of kidney failure.
King, who was on holiday with a friend, was hospitalised in Cairo for four days.
Issues concerning King’s insurance rose and just days later King’s family were informed that he had died.
He was hospitalised on May 25 and taken off life support less than a week later.
The hospital switched off the dialysis machine that was supporting King without telling his family prior to doing so.
Now, his mother, father and partner are in a fight to have his body shipped home.
The hospital is refusing to release King, who was described as a “fun-loving, happy, lovely son”, until the hospital bills which total £40,000 are paid.
King’s mother, Elaine Gilbert, told GSN that she was devastated by the loss of her son and the actions of the hospital.
“It’s disgusting they would do that to a human life. They’re supposed to save lives. But money comes first,” she said.
While the family are still frantically fighting to have their loved one returned home, they have decided to hold a memorial service without his body.
“We’re going to be having a celebration of his life, a funeral without the body,” his mother explained.
“I don’t think there’s any way we’re going to get him back. All I can think it’s just an empty vessel, it’s not my son.
“If I think my son is still in Egypt, it’s just too much. All I know is he is here with me,” she added.
Egyptian authorities are tough on LGBT people in the country, having been known to use apps such as Grindr to track down and arrest gay men.
In 2015, a court in the country ruled that gay foreigners can be deported or banned from entry to the country.
An Egyptian man who was recently granted asylum in Canada has spoken about his experience with being gay in the country, and given important advice to other LGBT refugees.
