Arizona Grad Suffers Life-Changing Injuries on Dream Trip to Australia

An American college graduate has a long road to recovery ahead of him after suffering life-changing injuries in a tragic accident just days after moving to Sydney, Australia.

On Saturday, Sept. 6, Max Allen, 23, who studied at the University of Arizona, headed to the beach with friends after making the move Down Under on a year-long work visa.

While “wading through waist-deep water, he dove forward and unknowingly struck a hidden sandbar, fracturing his C5 vertebra,” his sister, Olivia, explained on a GoFundMe page set up to help the family amid Max’s ongoing medical treatment.

He’s since undergone a six-hour operation, with surgeons removing the fractured vertebra, performing a bone graft, and securing his neck with plates and screws.

“Max is continuing to grow a little stronger each day as he goes through his recovery,” Olivia tells PEOPLE.

“He doesn’t remember much from the accident itself or the two days afterward, but he does recall spending an amazing 36 hours with his friends beforehand and has felt an incredible amount of support from the community since,” she adds.

The tragedy occurred at Balmoral Beach in downtown Sydney, according to news.com.au.

On the GoFundMe page, Olivia explained that on the day of the accident, Max made it to surgery “thanks to a series of fast, life-saving actions, an off-duty lifeguard who rushed to his side, emergency responders just down the road, and the incredible trauma team at Royal North Shore Hospital.”

“After surgery, Max was placed in the ICU, sedated and intubated, since the C5 nerves control breathing. In the days that followed, his diaphragm began to recover, and the breathing tube was removed,” she added, stating that her brother was now “awake, alert, and beginning the long road to recovery.”

Max currently “has limited mobility in his limbs, and the future holds many unknowns,” Olivia added on the GoFundMe page.

“But if you know Max, you know his strength, stubborn determination, and big heart. Our family mantra has become: ‘Little victories lead to big victories.’ Already, Max is working toward those victories every single day,” she added.

Max’s dad, James, is currently in Sydney with his son, Olivia tells PEOPLE in an email. The family has also been providing updates about his recovery via a profile on the non-profit health platform, CaringBridge, which shows that his mom has also flown to Australia to be by his side.

Olivia explained on the page that Max had left the U.S. on Sept. 3, and “planned to spend his first few weeks catching up with friends and couch surfing while he learned the lay of the land.”

“Max was beginning the next chapter of his life. After graduating from the University of Arizona with a degree in Urban Development and Sustainability, he decided to see the world for a year,” Olivia wrote.

“While at U of A, he had several Australian roommates who became close friends, so he chose to start his journey in Australia. He applied for — and was granted — a one-year work visa. His plan was to work at a bakery for half the year and then spend the rest of the year on a farm or ranch,” she added.

In a Wednesday, Sept. 17 post, Olivia revealed that Max had taken part in “both physical therapy and acute trauma occupational therapy,” showing “his determination to get stronger each day.” 

He also had some visits from friends, and managed to enjoy a smoothie after the family revealed his feeding tube had been removed two days prior, so he was “able to eat solids and drink fluids” again.

The family is now raising money for things such as medical bills and international living expenses while Max recovers in Sydney, as well as international travel for family support, Max’s rehab and physical therapy, equipment needed amid his recovery, and international medical transport back to the U.S.

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“This accident has left us with a mountain of unexpected challenges,” Olivia wrote on the GoFundMe page, thanking Max’s friends for being his “guardian angels during the scariest moments of our lives.”

“No donation is too small, and every single share or message of support makes a difference. Max’s journey is just beginning, and with your love and generosity, we know brighter days are ahead,” Olivia posted.

The GoFundMe page had raised almost $69,000 as of Thursday, Sept. 18.