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Massachusetts dad on ‘adventure of a lifetime’ left fighting for his life in Fiji after noticing bug bite

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Massachusetts dad on ‘adventure of a lifetime’ left fighting for his life in Fiji after noticing bug bite


A trip of a lifetime quickly turned into an unimaginable nightmare for a Massachusetts father who is fighting for his life halfway across the world after being bitten by a bug.

Scott and Claire Winslow always dreamt of sailing across the South Pacific with their family — and in April, they were finally able to turn their dream into a reality when they embarked on an “adventure of a lifetime” to enjoy their retirement, according to an online fundraiser. 

But just weeks into the three-month sailing voyage, Scott noticed what appeared to be a bug bite and his health rapidly deteriorated, WBZ-TV reported. 

Scott Winslow is fighting for his life in a Fiji hospital after falling ill on a three-month trip sailing around the South Pacific. GoFundMe

His condition worsened for nearly two weeks while at sea alongside his nephew, and by the time their ship made it to land in Fiji, he was so weak that he was unable to walk.

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The father-of-three was rushed to a local hospital, where doctors discovered the severity of his infection. 

“By the time they got to a doctor, he was so sick,” Scott’s daughter Lisa Babbin told the outlet. 

Scott was then transferred from a private hospital to the Intensive Care Unit at Lautoka Hospital on Vitu Levu, the main island of Fiji, where his wife Claire was heartbreakingly told to “prepare for the worst.”

The retiree remains critically ill on a ventilator, battling septic shock and organ failure.

The infection has spread to Scott’s lungs and gallbladder. GoFundMe

The infection has spread to Scott’s lungs and gallbladder and his kidneys are functioning at “a fraction of their normal capacity,” the GoFundMe page says.

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It’s still unclear how the infection started — whether by the insect bite, an infected wound or something else, according to the dad’s family.

While doctors are doing everything they can, Scott’s critical condition requires greater care than the local hospital can manage, according to his daughter.

“Every hour counts for my father,” Babbin said.

Scott had only been sailing for three weeks around the South Pacific before he became seriously ill. tazdevilgreg – stock.adobe.com

The family has secured a bed for the critically ill father at the Newton-Wellesley Hospital in Mass., but doesn’t know if they will be able to afford to fly him back to the United States for better care.

“All we need is a medflight, that’s the only thing we need to get him home,” Babbin said. “Medflights are not cheap.”

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A special medical flight from Fiji to Boston — which is over 8,000 miles in distance — could set the family back a staggering $250,000, according to the outlet.

Scott and Claire Winslow always dreamt of sailing around the South Pacific. GoFundMe

In addition to the fundraiser, the Winslow family has applied for a US government loan to help with the astronomical costs of flying Scott home as well as the foreign medical bills that are adding up without medical insurance coverage. 

Scott is a “hardworking, loyal, generous” man, “always willing to lend a hand,” relatives wrote on the fundraising page.

“He has spent a lifetime helping others, supporting his family, and being there whenever someone needed him.”

While Scott’s family “remain hopeful and continue to pray” for his recovery, “they are also facing the overwhelming financial burden that comes with a catastrophic medical emergency overseas,” the fundraiser says.

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2 seriously injured in crash that closed I-95 north in Canton Sunday morning

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2 seriously injured in crash that closed I-95 north in Canton Sunday morning


Two people were seriously hurt in a crash that closed Interstate 95 north in Canton, Massachusetts, on Sunday morning, police said.

The crash was reported at Exit 25 just after 8 a.m., according to Massachusetts State Police. Two people were taken to the hospital with serious injuries.

All travel lanes were temporarily closed and traffic was being diverted off the highway at Exit 23, according to police.

No further information was immediately available in the early stages of the investigation, including what’s believed to have led to the crash.

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Man in critical condition after crash in Webster

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Man in critical condition after crash in Webster


A man was critically injured in a multi-vehicle crash late Friday night in Webster, Massachusetts.

Webster police say officers responded to a crash on Worcester Road involving two cars around 11 p.m. One of the drivers, a 46-year-old Worcester man, was found unconscious.

Life-saving efforts were initiated on scene, and he was taken to UMass, where he remains in critical condition, police said.

There was no word on whether the other driver was injured, or what caused the crash. Further information is not being released at this time.

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An investigation into the crash is ongoing by the Webster Police Department and the Central Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council accident reconstruction team.



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Massachusetts mayor charged in $1.5M COVID loan fraud

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Massachusetts mayor charged in .5M COVID loan fraud


Aug. 14 (UPI) — A Massachusetts mayor was arrested Friday on charges of fraudulently obtaining more than $1.5 million in COVID loans for small businesses, federal prosecutors said.

Lawrence Mayor Brian DePena, 61, was charged with wire fraud and money laundering for allegedly using the loans to fund his campaign, pay personal taxes and pay off other loans.

DePena applied for pandemic relief loans in 2020 and 2021 to support Tenares Tire Services, an auto shop he owned in Lawrence.

Prosecutors say he used nearly $900,000 of the loans to pay off mortgages, $85,000 for personal tax debts and at least $130,000 to fund his campaign.

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“This was emergency financial assistance meant to be a safety net for struggling businesses, not Mr. Depena’s own personal ATM,” said Ted Docks, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Boston office, in a statement.

DePena was first elected mayor of Lawrence in 2021 and was reelected last November.

If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison for each charge.

“Mayor DePena was elected to be a leader for the City of Lawrence,” U.S. Attorney Leah Foley said in a statement. “He was looked up to and trusted by his constituents, but he betrayed that trust through his alleged corruption and lies,”



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