WA grandmother fighting for life in Bali after plunging down stairwell

Estelle Ravenscroft, a 79-year-old grandmother from Busselton, Western Australia, is fighting for her life in a Balinese hospital after plunging into an open stairwell during a weekend lunch, nine.com.au reported.

Slippery Floor Leads to Severe Leg Fractures

The accident occurred while Ravenscroft was dining at a local restaurant. According to her daughter, Leonie Walsh, a slippery bathroom floor caused the elderly woman to slide directly into an unshielded stairwell opening, sending her crashing onto the steps below. The impact left Ravenscroft with six severe fractures—three in each leg.

Painkiller Reaction Forces Surgery Without Medication

Admitted to an intensive care unit, Ravenscroft’s condition took a sharp turn for the worse. She suffered a severe adverse reaction to administered painkillers, leading to a terrifying medical crisis. Walsh told nine.com.au that her mother’s vital signs plummeted and she began convulsing violently, bringing the family close to losing her.

The reaction left doctors with few options. Medical staff were forced to perform manual realignments of her broken legs and place both limbs in traction with weights entirely without painkillers. Since the incident, the 79-year-old has also required two post-surgery blood transfusions.

Family Fundraises for Medical Costs and Repatriation

Because Ravenscroft lacks travel insurance, her relatives are facing projected medical expenses reaching hundreds of thousands of dollars. While her husband remains by her bedside in Bali, the family has launched an online fundraising campaign to cover emergency treatment and her eventual repatriation to Australia.

A Touch-and-Go Recovery

Recovery remains uncertain. In an update provided on Friday, Walsh stated that her mother’s condition remains “extremely touch-and-go.” The situation is further complicated by severe swelling in her mouth and throat, alongside ongoing medical care for heart, oxygen, and blood complications stemming from the medication reaction.