The family of a teenager who was left “braindead” after a horrific accident are facing fresh agony over his care. Jack Dolan, 16, was enjoying a day out at the seaside with his friends when his life changed forever. The tragic teen front-flipped from Margate pier and was left with severe brain damage. Heartbreakingly, his family prepared for the worst as doctors warned he wouldn’t make it. But Jack defied all odds.
Now he’s showing amazing signs of recovery, even being able to laugh, talk and cheekily joke with nurses. But his distraught family have claimed his improvements could be in jeopardy as Jack’s care team are “leaving him to bed rot”.
Jack’s stepfather, Dave Dolan, 35, has opened up on the “heartbreaking” events of June 2024, recalling how, while on a day trip to Margate with friends, the youngster jumped from the 26ft Stone Pier and was knocked unconscious as he hit the water. “He over-flipped, hit the water and knocked himself out,” said Dave, 35. “His mates thought he was messing about… when he started sinking they started screaming.”
Dave added that Jack spent eight minutes underwater before a kayaker was able to pull him out. He was placed on an automated external defibrillator (AED) for 28 minutes and suffered two cardiac arrests before being air-lifted to King’s College Hospital.
While in hospital, Jack’s family, including his mum Lisa, 34, were told by doctors he was “brain dead” and “wouldn’t make it“. However, after spending two weeks in an induced coma and several weeks in intensive care, Jack “miraculously” spoke to his beloved mum in July as he grabbed her arm and muttered “help”.
Dave recalled how Jack gradually began to move his hands and was eventually able to look around the room, recognisable people and show facial expressions. “It’s a miracle, it’s completely unheard of,” he added.
After being discharged from hospital, Jack spent four months in rehabilitation hospital The Children’s Trust. Dave called his progress “amazing”, with Jack being able to say up to 15 words and kick a ball. “His brain is still developing which is probably why he’s improved so much,” Dave said, adding Jack has been able to sit up straight, lift his arm, scratch his head and reposition himself in bed.
In January 2025, Jack returned to the family home, which had been adapted to make it accessible. Since returning home in January, Jack has been receiving care and support from Medway Council and Medway Community Healthcare. But Dave claims they are “not helping him enough”.
“They’re just not helping him enough, the community care team are leaving him to bed-rot,” he said. “He was doing so well and he seems to have stagnated now, and that’s just through a lack of help from the council.”
“It’s heartbreaking, right now he should be starting his paperwork for the Royal Marines and doing his GCSEs. Instead he’s learning to walk and talk again…well he’s not, because he’s not getting the help.”
During his time at The Children’s Trust, Dave said Jack received physiotherapy sessions every weekday. Dave claimed Medway Community Healthcare have offered them just 20 sessions for the year, leading the family to buy 50 sessions with a local private physiotherapist through GoFundMe donations. “He needs the intervention now, the first two years of any brain injury are the most important and currently – he’s not getting the support he needs,” Dave said. “His progression has really, really slowed since leaving The Children’s Trust. It’s atrocious – if there was a risk to life, he would get so much more.”
The family are continuing to raise funds via GoFundMe to help them pay for further physiotherapy sessions for Jack. They have raised over £2,000 so far. A Medway Council spokesperson said: “Having been made aware of the issues, we have contacted Jack’s mum to understand the family’s concerns. Jack’s social care plan was put in place in January and due to be reviewed later this month, however, we will be bringing this review forward to ensure the right level of social care support is in place. We will also be arranging a multi-disciplinary meeting with partner agencies to discuss the wider support that may be required in addition to social care.”
Tracy Webb, assistant director, Children’s and Planned Services at Medway Community Healthcare, said: “We are providing regular appointments for Jack Dolan based on his clinical needs. These meet national guidance and advice about recovery and ongoing care following a serious brain injury.
“Together with our colleagues at Medway Council, we are working to make this care and support as consistent, patient-centred and flexible as possible. We are already in communication with the Dolan family regarding Jack’s care and the concerns raised; and will continue to work with them to find the best solution for Jack.”
To find out more, visit the fundraising page for Jack at gofundme.com/f/jack-dolans-continuing-physio
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