‘We need a miracle’: Maui man hospitalized in Mexico, family asks for help

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – After celebrating her son’s wedding in Cancun about a week ago, Marjan Salazar is stuck there with her fiancé, Chad Walker, who is hospitalized.

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The couple thought the trip would be a dream vacation, but it quickly turned into a fight for Walker’s life.

“It feels like a nightmare that I need to wake up from. It’s honestly one of the most horrible things I’ve ever been through in my entire life,” Salazar said.

Last Monday, Walker went with Salazar’s son, Chris, and others on a fishing trip, then felt sick.

“We thought that was seasickness,” Salazar explained.

The doctor at an urgent care thought the same and gave Walker a shot for nausea and Pedialyte.

“Then he was just up all night, just in a lot of pain, pacing, not able to sleep,” Salazar recalled.

Salazar then took Walker to a hospital, where they learned he actually had pancreatitis, kidney failure and bowel problems.

“It was a lot in the moment,” Salazar said, adding they were charged $20,000 upfront for treatment. “Insurance is finally kicking in. It’s just, we have to pay 20% of that and it’s just not enough.”

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Walker, 47, is now on a ventilator with failing organs, too fragile to take an air ambulance back to the U.S. for further treatment.

Chris added, “It really turned from this very exciting, fun six days of having a wedding and all of our family being there to this scary experience.”

Surgeons performed emergency surgery on Walker’s abdomen and plan another procedure to get him stable enough to fly.

“That’s gonna cost somewhere around $30,000 to $40,000 that my insurance does not cover,” Salazar said.

To help cover the expenses, Chris’ wife started a GoFundMe, which raised more than $20,000 so far.

“We appreciate everything. My mind is honestly completely blown at the outpouring of support that we received,” Salazar thanked. “I just ask that everybody keep praying, keep sharing the GoFundMe, and keep praying for Chad to just get better because we need a miracle.”

The donations will also help with Walker’s recovery, which is expected to take about six to eight months.

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