A Fraserburgh woman has launched a fundraiser in a desperate bid to bring her fiance back home after he was involved in a life-changing car crash.
Jamie Cardno was driving home in January last year when his Fiat Punto hit black ice and subsequently crashed on the A98 Fochabers-Fraserburgh route.
He had to be cut free from the wreckage and was so badly injured in the incident, he was airlifted to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary for treatment, where he remains today.
He will probably never walk again and can only communicate through hand movements and with the help of a tablet computer.
His girlfriend of five years has now appealed for help to prevent Mr Cardno from being transferred to a care home, where access to his two-year-old daughter, Emily-Rose, will be restricted.
Last night, Catherine Stewart, 28, said she was hoping to raise at least £100,000 through fundraising and the sale of her own home to purchase an accessible property for Mr Cardno.
Her current house is unsuitable because of his new needs and no council properties are available to move into.
She said: “I just want to be able to bring him home.
“His last operation is in March – to try and replace a bone in his skull – and, after that, he will either be able to come home or have to be placed in a home.
“I’m not willing to put him in a home.”
The pair have also raised a six-year-old boy, Jack, together, from Miss Stewart’s previous relationship.
And she added: “He shouldn’t spend the rest of his life in a home. He has been in hospital for over a year and he has never left. It can’t be good for him.
“He should be with his kids.”
Miss Stewart hopes that, when the new house is bought, she can apply for grants to alter it in an attempt to make life as normal as possible for Mr Cardno.
Miss Stewart said: “It’s a horrible situation to be in. Most people in his position would be able to claim insurance, but because there was no one else involved in the crash we can’t.
“Our best option now is to buy our own house and then apply for grants to make changes to suit Jamie.”
Donations can be made at www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/Homeforjamie