The family of a north-east oil worker left in a coma for 13 days after being stabbed in the chest has made a desperate plea for help to bring him home.
Stephen Lumsden was allegedly attacked by his girlfriend at their home in the Zahran area of Cairo in Egypt.
The 40-year-old, from Tarves, was left with wounds across his body and a punctured lung.
Mr Lumsden and his family have also had to pay almost £10,000 in medical bills after the inspection engineer discovered he did not have health insurance.
Due to the cost of his healthcare, Mr Lumsden has already left the El Bank Al Ahly Hospital and his family are raising funds to get him back to Scotland.
He said: “There is no NHS in Egypt which is why I had to leave the hospital because myself and my family couldn’t afford the costs.
“My family have done the best they can but we have been left in a terrible situation.
“It was an extremely scary event to have happened. I’m still worried about living in my own home in Egypt.
“I now have to lock my doors and windows because I’m living in fear.”
The dad-of-two said he was getting ready for work before he was stabbed in the kitchen of his home.
He was then rushed to hospital in a taxi before spending 14 days in care.
The former pupil of Ellon and Mintlaw academies had to undergo heart surgery as a result of the incident.
Mr Lumsden added: “I was unconscious in hospital for 13 days.
“I have no recollection of being in the hospital. I remember being in the back of a taxi struggling to breathe.”
Mother Morag Lumsden only discovered her son’s plight when police arrived at her Sheddocksley home three weeks ago.
She then travelled to Egypt to see him and help pay for his treatment.
She said: “My son was close to dying. The hospital placed him on life support which was one of the most scariest moments of my life.
“I hope we can raise enough money to get him back to Aberdeen.”
A Foreign Office spokeswoman said they were aware of the case and were providing consular assistance.