Please Support Tyra's Journey Home:2Yrs Stranded Due to PTSD

Caroline Ejoh is organizing this fundraiser.

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Who We Are

My name is Caroline, and Ireland is home for nearly 25 years, where I started my family living and working. I’m raising funds for my first child 16-year-old daughter, Tyra, who developed PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) after a distressing long-haul flight (Turbulent Flight) in the summer of 2022. Tyra is still stranded in Tanzania since due to this reason.

Photos: taken 2024 & 2023 in Tanzania

We were traveling to Tanzania, my birthplace, for a family reunion after losing my brother to COVID-19. Tyra had flown on long-haul flights before, all with connections, but that traumatic experience left her unable to fly back despite numerous attempts. She refuses to board a plane. Tyra is Autistic with high functioning autism, which makes coping with her situation even more difficult.

Why We Need Your Help

When Tyra didn't sit on the plane and walked off, we had to be offloaded along with my other three children (already returned to Ireland), all under 16, as they couldn’t fly alone. Since then, Tyra has been receiving treatment for the past two years , including therapy, to help her overcome this challenge. Her Dad and I have tried multiple times to fly back with her, but she always turns back at the boarding gate.

We’re now in urgent need of help as our funds have been exhausted. While therapy has helped Tyra overcome some of her other fears, she has missed out on school. Despite our efforts to homeschool her using eBooks, her condition has made it difficult for her to keep up. She’s eager to return to Ireland and resume her education. It breaks my heart to see her struggle like this and her knowing she can’t since. Once she’s back, we’ll make all the necessary arrangements for her continued care and education.

Why Now?

We’ve been hopeful that each new attempt would be the one where she could finally fly, but despite calming medications, she turned back at the boarding gate. Now that she’s 16, we’re very hopeful that her body can handle different medications. Tyra urgently needs to come home. She is petite (see video below), and we’re carefully reviewing with doctors potential side effects to ensure she’s not adversely affected.

The Journey

We have the following two options:

1. Air Travel via Kenya

The route would be from Dar-es-Salaam to Nairobi by road (border crossing), then a non-stop flight from Nairobi to London, followed by a journey from London to Ireland by road, train, or ferry. Tyra has said she is glad I am not taking her to Dar Airport, I am very hopeful. She says going from Kenya will be lesser hours. Tyra has shown incredible strength, but after setbacks at the airport, we want to eliminate any doubts and ensure she feels completely safe this time on her journey home.

2. Land/Ferry Travel from Tanzania to Ireland

This involves traveling by road booking via a tour agents who arrange a trip. Going through multiple countries to reach Morocco or Algeria, then crossing by ferry to Spain, or traveling through Egypt and taking a ship (though this option is currently not recommended due to security concerns in Central Africa).

We’re focusing on option 1, but if it fails, we’ll directly go for option 2 from Kenya.

Funds Are Needed For:

Hiring a car with a driver to Nairobi, Kenya, to ensure the journey starts smoothly for Tyra. Minimum 15 hrs drive time plus stops and border crossing time. Therapy & review in Nairobi.
One-way flight costs for Tyra, myself, and a return ticket for a doctor or nurse to accompany us to London from Dar Es Salaam, along with their fee. Due to her condition and knowing how shell relax, Tyra will need to lie down during the flight to stay comfortable. Having a doctor onboard will ensure she receives the necessary medication to feel safe and secure throughout the journey.
Transit London for a medical check-up before continuing to Ireland.
Train/Bus/Ferry from London to Ireland.
Refundable tickets in case we need to switch to option 2.
The journey might take about 10 days or more by option 1 so she doesn’t get disturbed to refuse any journey, and much longer if we resort to option 2.

How your help means to us

Any contribution to help bring Tyra home for school this August/Early September would mean the world to us and truly be appreciated. Reuniting Tyra with her younger siblings and having all my children under one roof again would bring us immense happiness. As a mother, the burden I’ve carried since Tyra first refused to fly, by walking out of that plane is indescribable. This happened while I was also dealing with my own health issues. Tyra doesn't want to travel from Dar airport again.

How We Will Receive Funds

GoFundMe will deposit the funds directly into my account (Irish bank account). I’ll use this account to pay for tickets, transport, and other expenses needed to bring Tyra home. I’ll keep you updated here.