A Moray woman whose husband has been in a coma since being struck by a taxi has spoken of her family’s anguish as they hope for him to pull through.
Linda Mackenzie said her “world was turned upside down” when husband Richard Nutland, 47, was injured in the early hours of Sunday, April 26.
Since then, the couple’s children April, 16, and Luke, 13, have been unable to attend school and Mrs Mackenzie has been signed off from work.
The family has made a daily trip from Elgin to Aberdeen to sit at Mr Nutland’s bedside and speak with him in the hope he is able to hear and understand their words.
Meanwhile, Ms Mackenzie is facing serious financial burden given the loss of income to the family home and is surviving on just £88 a week in benefits.
She said: “This is the last thing anyone expects to happen, and it has absolutely turned our world upside down.
“The children were supposed to have exams but they haven’t been to school since the accident, and I haven’t been able to work.
“The surgeon has told us that it could take six months or longer for him to wake up, but they can’t say for sure what is going to happen or when.
“And even if he does wake up, they can’t advise on what situation he will be in.
“We visit Richard every day and hope that he may recognise our voices or give some indication he can hear us.”
Mrs Mackenzie, who is employed as a carer at The Grove care home in Elgin, says the family is now struggling to get by on just her £88.70 weekly sick pay.
She added: “Since the accident we’ve been under a great deal of financial strain.
“We haven’t received help from anybody, we have been to a few different agencies and Moray Council but all to no avail.
“We were told by the council that it would have been able to help with a discretionary housing payment if I was on benefits, but we’re not entitled because I’m employed.
“We can’t live on £88.70 a week, and we feel the council has just pushed us from pillar to post.
“Though the police sorted us out with a bus pass for Stagecoach there’s food, rent and other expenses that I need to cover.
“We have no way of knowing how long we will have to go on like this for, and it’s hugely stressful.”
A Moray Council spokesman said: “For reasons of confidentiality we are unable to discuss claims that may have been submitted by any individual.
“What we can say is that the Scottish Welfare Fund is designed to meet one-off costs in the event of a crisis, and not for ongoing expenses. “There is an appeals procedure available for anyone who is dissatisfied with the outcome of any claim application.”
Mr Nutland was working as a night porter at Elgin’s Premier Inn at the time of the accident with the full circumstances surrounding the accident still unclear.
He was involved in a collision with a white Skoda Octavia taxi, just before 3.40am on April 26, on Linkwood Way.
Mr Nutland was rushed to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary – where he has remained since.
A police spokesman yesterday confirmed that inquiries into the matter were ongoing.