Photo: Contributed

What was supposed to be a relaxing vacation in the North Okanagan turned into a medical emergency for a Calgary man.

Lawrence Pickrem was staying at an AirBnB at SilverStar when he and two friends fell from a balcony after the railing gave way.

The incident happened Friday and Pickrem remains in Vernon Jubilee Hospital with serious injuries.

Shortly after arriving at the cottage, Pickrem and some friends decided to check out the views from the balcony and have a barbecue.

Pickrem and his friend were leaning against the balcony's railing when it suddenly gave way, and he and his friend fell approximately two stories.

“There was three of us out there when it happened. We were just talking and someone would have leaned on the railing and all of a sudden we all just went down,” he said from his hospital bed.

Pickrem broke his pelvis and ruptured his spleen in the fall.

One of his friends landed on top of him, but still fractured his skull when his head hit the concrete.

His friend has been released from hospital, but Pickrem had a three-hour operation and is looking at several months of recovery time.

“My problem right now is to try and figure out a way to get back to Calgary and heal there,” said Pickrem as medical transportation to Calgary is not covered by medical insurance.

And once he gets back to Calgary, he will have to adjust to his new temporary life.

“I won't be able to walk for quite some time. I'm going to miss a lot of work,” he said.

Pickrem had also planned to fly back to his hometown of Halifax to visit his daughter at the end of the month, but those plans have been scuttled.

Optimistically, doctors have told Pickrem it will be three or four months before he is healed, but he is expected to make a full recovery, but the incident could have long-term health impacts as he ages.

Pickrem said he has launched a lawsuit against the owners of the AirBnB.

To help cover expenses, Pickrem's sister, Brittany, has launched a GoFundMe.