Teen Jack Dolan severely brain damaged after Margate Pier jump ‘left to bed-rot’ by care team, family say

The family of a teenager who suffered severe brain damage after jumping from Margate Pier claim his recovery is in jeopardy after their local care team left him to “bed-rot”.

Jack Dolan’s stepfather, Dave Dolan, 35, from Rainham, Kent, recalled the “heart-breaking” events of June 2024 when his stepson travelled to Margate to spend a day by the beach with his friends.

Jack, now 16, did a front flip from the 26ft (8m) Stone Pier, an activity often known as tombstoning, but was knocked unconscious as he hit the water and spent eight minutes beneath the waves – effectively drowning.

His family, including mum Lisa Dolan, 34, were told by doctors he was “brain dead” and “wouldn’t make it” but after weeks in a coma and intensive care he “miraculously” spoke to his mum out of the blue in July – grabbing her arm and saying: “Help”.

He then spent four months in a rehabilitation hospital, making “amazing” progress to the point he can now say up to 15 words and kick a ball.

But since returning home in January this year, his parents claim a lack of care from Medway Council and Medway Community Healthcare is directly impacting his ability to progress, leaving them needing to fundraise for private physiotherapy sessions.

“They’re just not helping him enough, the community care team are leaving him to bed-rot,” Dave, who has been separated from Jack’s mother since 2019 but continues to co-parent, told PA Real Life.

“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 heart-breaking, 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.”

Jack, who is cared for by his mum Lisa, along with his siblings Faith, 10 and Grace, nine, travelled to Margate on June 23 2024 for a day at the beach with some friends.

He then front-flipped from the 26ft (8m) Stone Pier, performing an activity often known as tombstoning where people jump or dive from a height into water.

“He over-flipped, hit the water and knocked himself out,” said Dave, who works as an area supervisor for a facility management company.

“His mates thought he was messing about… when he started sinking they started screaming.”

Dave said Jack was underwater for eight minutes until a kayaker managed to locate him and pull him out.

He was placed on an automated external defibrillator (AED) for 28 minutes and suffered two cardiac arrests, Dave said.

Jack was air-lifted to King’s College Hospital in London where his family were informed he was “brain dead” and “wouldn’t make it”.

He spent several weeks in intensive care and two weeks in an induced coma where it was thought if Jack did wake up, he would be in a vegetative state.

“He was completely brain damaged, every single part of his brain has brain damage, it’s about as severe as you can get,” Dave said.

However Dave said Jack suddenly showed cognitive understanding in July, one month after his accident, when amid pain from a urine infection he spoke one word to his mum.

“He grabbed her wrist and said ‘help’,” Dave said.

“Even though it was traumatic, he was showing cognitive skills.”

Dave said Jack eventually started to move his hands while in hospital, before he began looking around the room, noticing and recognising people, and showing facial expressions.

“It’s a miracle, it’s completely unheard of,” Dave said.

Adaptations were made to the family home to make it accessible for Jack and he underwent hyperbaric oxygen therapy, which supplies compressed oxygen through a mask to repair damaged brain cells.

After being discharged from hospital, Jack was transferred to The Children’s Trust, a rehabilitation hospital, from September to January.

During that time, Dave said Jack continued to make “amazing” progress in his recovery, saying up to 15 words, using eye-gauge machines, communicating through ‘yes’ or ‘no’ cards and kicking a ball.

“His brain is still developing which is probably why he’s improved so much,” Dave said, adding Jack has now been able to sit up straight, lift his arm, scratch his head and reposition himself in bed.

Since returning home in January, Jack has been receiving care and support from Medway Council and Medway Community Healthcare – but Dave said the lack of help has been “atrocious”.

At The Children’s Trust, Dave said Jack was receiving physiotherapy sessions every weekday.

Dave claims Medway Community Healthcare have offered them just 20 sessions for the entire year – prompting the family to bulk-buy 50 sessions with a local private physiotherapist through donations from GoFundMe.

“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 continue to raise funds via GoFundMe to help them pay for further physiotherapy sessions for Jack, raising over £2,000 so far.

“He will always be somewhat disabled, he will always have some level of brain damage but the next 18 months are crucial,” Dave said.

“With the right intervention and the right support, he could be somewhat walking and talking by the time he’s 20.”

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 here: gofundme.com/f/jack-dolans-continuing-physio