Family desperate to bring young woman home after she suffers stroke on Italy trip

GREER, S.C. (WYFF) - A South Carolina family is desperately looking for help to get their loved one home from Italy after she suffered a stroke while on vacation.

Grace Bradley went on a long-planned trip to Italy in June, her first opportunity to travel in her life, according to GoFundMe . She was born with Vodder syndrome and has been living with paraplegia since age 13. She uses a wheelchair to get around.

Her grandfather, Tony Bradley, says over the past few years, she's been doing more on her own.

"She works for Publix as a cashier. The only thing that we really have to help with her sometimes is a little transportation here and there, but she doesn't mind calling an Uber," he said.

Grace Bradley spent years planning and saving up money for her Italy vacation. Her family wasn't entirely on board with the idea but didn't want to "hold her back."

"We tried our hardest to talk her out of going, but at the same time, we don't want to hold her back either because that wouldn't be healthy," Tony Bradley said. "She just wants to be independent, like anybody else."

Unfortunately, while Grace Bradley was on her trip, her family got the news June 26 that she had a stroke. More than a week later, she is still in a Venice hospital.

Tony Bradley says his granddaughter can no longer use the left side of her upper body. However, she is stable, according to a Thursday update on GoFundMe.

Grace Bradley's grandmother, Juli Bradley, took the first flight she could find to Italy to help her granddaughter, who cannot fly commercial back to the United States in her current condition.

"When she goes home, it has to be medevac, and the medevac must be accompanied by a doctor. So, my wife has been in contact with the State Department and the embassy in Italy directly," Tony Bradley said.

He says it will cost the family up to $200,000 to meet the requirements to get Grace Bradley home. Because the medical emergency happened in a foreign country, her Medicaid will not cover any expenses or care.

"We need her home. She's not doing well, and she's not going to get better until she comes home. So, if you guys can help, we'd really appreciate it," Tony Bradley said.

As military veterans, both Tony Bradley and his son, Grace Bradley's father, were shocked to know they couldn't get help from the U.S. government to get their loved one home.

The family created their GoFundMe with hopes to raise the money through the kindness of others. Nearly $30,000 had been donated, as of early Monday.