Son Needed $250K Air Ambulance Home After Suffering Infection and Amputation During Brother's Overseas Wedding

NEED TO KNOW

• Andrew Wasil, of Braintree, Mass., became severely ill with a strep infection the day after his brother’s wedding in India, according to his family

• Doctors amputated both of his legs below the knees to save his life after he went into septic shock

• More than $200,000 was then raised to help cover the cost of an air ambulance to bring him home

A Massachusetts man lost both of his legs after contracting a severe infection while enjoying wedding festivities overseas earlier this year, his family said. Then they turned to the public for help to bring him home.

Andrew Wasil, 39, of Braintree, traveled to India in February to serve as best man in his brother’s wedding outside Mumbai, according to Massachusetts station WHDH and ABC affiliate WCVB .

But the day after the nuptials, Wasil “became suddenly and severely ill,” according to a GoFundMe started by his sister, Erica Vinton.

Wasil “was quickly hospitalized with a dangerous strep infection,” Vinton said. Soon, he “went into septic shock” and his illness “led to multiple organ complications.”

Ultimately, Vinton said, doctors amputated both of Wasil’s legs below the knees in order to save his life.

“They just couldn’t recover from the lack of oxygen,” said Suzanne Wasil, Andrew’s mother, per WHDH. “The strep virus went into his lungs and when they did a blood test, he also had traces of the common cold and the flu.”

For more than six weeks, Andrew received “extensive treatment” in an intensive care unit in India.

By April 10, Vinton said on the GoFundMe, he was medically stable but had not “yet regained full consciousness,” though he was "showing encouraging signs" of progress.

From there, Andrew's family began gathering donations to pay for an air ambulance to bring hime home “so he can continue to get the medical care he needs” in Boston, according to Vinton. The cost was $248,000.

More than $200,000 was then raised through the GoFundMe to help Andrew's family as the air ambulance, Vinton said, was “not covered by insurance and must be paid upfront.”

Andrew's family personally chipped in for the trip home, including Suzanne, who used some of her retirement savings, according to WCVB. His flight was booked for Sunday, April 19,

Suzanne told WHDH that the support her son received in recent weeks “touches our family.”

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

“We have no words except thank you from the bottom of our hearts,” she said. “He’s loyal and kind and generous, and his nieces and nephew love him to pieces.”

Additional donations made to the GoFundMe, family said, will go toward helping Andrew with his medical needs.

In an update, they wrote, “From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for all your compassionate love and support.”

Read the original article on People