Ioannis Vidiniotis was injured on New Year’s Eve while swimming with members of his family at Cottesloe Beach, one of the city’s most famous coastlines, stretching 1.5 kilometers. During his swim, he struck his head on a sandbar and lost consciousness in the water.

“Giannis went into the sea feeling safe,” said his cousin, Aristea Kazantzidou. “The next thing I saw was him floating face down. None of us could imagine how quickly everything would change.” She pulled him out of the water, while a beachgoer with medical training and lifeguards rushed to provide assistance.

Ambulances arrived at the scene, with paramedics administering first aid before urgently transferring him to Royal Perth Hospital. There, doctors determined that he had suffered a fractured collarbone as well as extensive and severe spinal injuries.

According to a statement from the Hellenic Community of Western Australia, the 28-year-old is being treated in the intensive care unit and is unable to move his legs or close his hands. As noted on an online fundraising page, doctors have warned that due to the extent of the spinal injuries, there is a serious risk of quadriplegia.

The treating physicians estimate that he will remain hospitalized for another six to eight weeks, followed by a six-month rehabilitation program. Nevertheless, the chances of him regaining the ability to walk do not exceed 5%. “This is the most difficult reality our family is being asked to face,” his cousin said.

His parents are traveling from Greece to Western Australia to be by his side, while the Greek community mobilized immediately, raising nearly 200,000 dollars to cover his medical and treatment expenses.