A pretty backpacker has been killed on a dream round-the-world trip after crashing her rented Jeep into a lamppost.
Ali Lambert, 22, was driving the pink off-road vehicle with friend Nezi Borislavova, 25, in the passenger seat during heavy rains on Thai holiday island Phuket last week.
She smashed into a lamppost then skidded out of control down a steep embankment – flipping the Jeep several times leaving it ”completely destroyed”.
Ali, originally from Vancouver, Canada, died at the scene. Friend Nezi was rushed to hospital with severe internal injuries, two broken shoulders, a broken arm and broken wrist.
Distraught father Doug said it was ”every parent’s worst nightmare”.
He said: ”Ali had texted us the morning of the drive, and was excited to announce to her mother that she was in a bright pink jeep. She told us ‘…and Mom I wish you were here with us.”
Doug said the Jeep was an ”awful wreck” and Ali was non-responsive when she was taken to the hospital.
He paid tribute to a ”real alternative kid” who was an ”artist and adventurer at heart.”
”We’re never going to be the same, but we’re going to get through this.
”Ali chose a different path for herself. We’re just very glad we got to know her for 22 years,” he added.
“From what I hear, Nezi will be okay. She has a couple of broken bones but she does not have medical insurance. Ali didn’t have a return ticket booked.”
Ali had been travelling through Europe and then Vietnam before arriving in Thailand on January 1.
She met up with Neza during the trip and rented a Jeep to drive to Bangkok before flying to New Caledonia and Australia.
Ali had been using the Jeep for several days before it spun out of control in heavy rain shortly after crossing the Sarasin Bridge linking the island to the main land.
The heartbroken family now have to raise money to fly back Ali’s body to Canada.
Nezi – who is understood to have had no travel insurance – has had surgery and is being treated at a hospital in Bangkok after being transferred there.
Abdominal surgery has stemmed internal bleeding and a portion of her large intestine has been removed.
Pals have so far raised $40,000 to cover medical bills and travel expenses to fly her home.
Nezi’s friend Pat Parenteau said: ”Nezi has limited resources through her family, so we are asking for people’s support to bring her home.
”She has just undergone abdominal surgery and additional surgery to set broken bones. Nezi is alone, traumatized and in pain in a foreign country. We need to rally and bring her back to Canada.”
A spokesman for Phuket’s Tourist Police confirmed that Ali had died in a road accident and that the details had been passed to consular officials.
Nezi’s GoFundMe page is here…. https://www.gofundme.com/bring-nezi-home
