These are the first photos of the British friends left seriously injured after being run over during what their loved ones say should have been a ‘happy holiday’ in Ibiza.
Anguished relatives spoke today to admit their world had been ‘turned upside down’ as it emerged a GoFundMe appeal had been set up for one of the two women rushed to hospital intensive care, 26-year-old mum-of-three Ebony Cordingley.
Ebony, from Bradford, West Yorks, is in the private Nuestra Senora del Rosario Polyclinic and her mum-of-two close pal Lauren Holmes, 27, is in intensive care at Ibiza’s main Can Misses state hospital.
They were hit by a Toyota Corolla driven by a 24-year-old Spaniard just before 2 am yesterday morning on the El-600 road between Ibiza and San Antonio.
Ebony’s sister Shannon, who has helped organise the GoFundMe appeal for her sibling, said online: ‘On what should have been a happy holiday in Ibiza, our beloved sister Ebony was struck by a taxi in the early hours of Tuesday 26th August, and is now in a critical condition in an intensive care unit.
‘This sudden and devastating accident has turned our world upside down and our family is facing the most frightening time of our lives.
‘Right now, doctors are doing everything they can, but the reality is that her recovery will be long, uncertain, and incredibly difficult.
‘We simply do not know yet how serious or lasting her injuries will be. What we do know is that she will need time, care, and strength to heal and her three young sons need their mum more than ever.
‘As a family, we are doing all we can to support her and care for the boys, but the challenges are overwhelming. The costs of being by her side abroad, potential medical expenses, and the long-term support her children will need are more than we can manage alone.
‘We are reaching out with humble hearts to ask for your help. Any contribution, no matter how small, will go directly toward supporting Ebony’s care and ensuring her three boys, Jamie, Jacob and Reggie, are looked after during this difficult time.
‘If you are unable to donate, we would be so grateful if you could share this page and keep her in your thoughts and prayers.
‘We don’t know what the future holds, but we are holding onto hope. Your kindness and generosity will make a real difference as we face the long road ahead together. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you.’
One local report yesterday described the condition of Lauren, who has a young girl and young boy and is also from Bradford, as ‘critical’.
Shannon said this morning: ‘I can’t give you an update on Lauren’s condition at the moment but Ebony has a bleed on the brain, bleeding in her lungs, broken leg, fractured leg, broken ribs and multiple contusions.
‘She’s being classed as critical at the moment and after 2 pm hopefully she’ll be categorised as serious but stable. That’s our hope anyway.
‘Our mum has flown out to Ibiza and is meeting with the embassy today.’
The horror incident that left the two women in hospital is still being investigated by the Civil Guard. There have been no reports of any arrests and the Spanish driver is said to have passed a drink-drive test although this has not yet been confirmed by police.
Shannon said today she believed they were crossing the road when they were hit, in an area within the municipality of San Antonio known locally as Can Guillemo, and were heading back to their hotel after a meal.
She said: ‘They weren’t drinking, weren’t leaving any clubs, they played in a park on swings, went for a walk, went for food then walked back to their hotel not realising the dangers of the roads around there.’
The Civil Guard said yesterday as news of the early-hours incident emerged: ‘Two British women were taken to hospital in a serious condition.
‘They were pedestrians who were run over by a 24-year Spaniard at the wheel of a Toyota Corolla.
‘One is 26 and the other is 27.
‘The incident happened at 1.50am on the El-600 road between Ibiza and San Antonio in the municipality of San Antonio.’
The police force said today it couldn’t comment on whether the driver was in a cab and what speed investigators thought he could have been doing.
In a separate GoFundMe appeal for Lauren Holmes, friend Tyla Gray said: ‘On what should have been a happy holiday with a friend in Ibiza, our beloved daughter, sister, friend Lauren was struck by a speeding taxi in the early hours of Tuesday 26th August, and is now in critical condition in the intensive care unit.
‘As you can imagine this sudden and devastating accident has turned all our lives upside down and we are facing the most frightening time of our lives.
‘At the moment doctors are doing everything they can, but the reality is her recovery is going to be long, uncertain and incredibly difficult. She’s facing so many injuries from two broken legs, arm, ribs to internal injuries to many more.
‘We simply don’t know yet how serious or lasting her injuries will be. What we do know is she is in another country away from her two beautiful children who need their mum more than ever.
‘As a family we are currently doing all we can to support her and her babies at this time, but the challenges we are facing are overwhelming.
‘The costs of being by her side abroad, the expense of her intense medical care, and the long term support her children will need are more than we can manage alone.
‘We have had a quote from the air ambulance team who can assist Lauren in her return home and provide the care that she will need from bed to bed service and land units to take her to and from hospital at each side of the journey. Lauren is desperate to come home to receive her treatment that she so desperately needs.
‘We are reaching out with humble hearts to please ask for your help to get our girl home to where she belongs and most importantly back home to her babies.
‘Any contribution, no matter how small, will go directly towards supporting Lauren and ensuring her two children are looked after during this difficult time. If you are unable to donate, we would be so grateful if you could share this page and keep us all in your thoughts and prayers.
‘We don’t know what the future holds but we are holding onto hope, your kindness will make a massive difference as we face the long road ahead to get our girl home. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you.’