Tragedy as teenager, 15, left in vegetative state after 'flipping off pier to impress mates'
The stone pier is known as the harbour arm and was built between 1812 and 1815
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A 15-year-old boy has been left in a vegetative state after he flipped off a pier and landed “face first in the water”.
Jack Dolan went to the beach for the first time by himself on June 23.
He threw himself off Stone Pier in Margate, Kent, after making a similar jump dozens of times before.
Dolan reportedly made the leap during a holiday in Egypt last year.
The stone pier is known as the harbour arm and was built between 1812 and 1815GETTYHowever, the schoolboy landed head-first on the water.
The impact left Dolan effectively brain dead but his brain stem shows signs of activity.
However, Dolan’s brain is severely damaged and will not recover.
Stepfather Dave Dolan and mother Lisa are now fundraising to move house to bring the 15-year-old home to die.
Experts believe the teenager has between weeks and years to live.
“I think he misjudged it and he landed face-first on the water and knocked himself out,” his distraught stepfather said.
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The Air Ambulance was in attendancePA“It was only three or four metres and if he'd landed a quarter rotation one way or the other he would probably have been fine. That's why we can't be angry at him. He'd done it so many times before, there is no blame.
“I know he was laughing, I can actually see him doing it, smiling and being a complete show-off. The last thing he would have known was being happy.”
Dolan previously visited the beach with his family as they were protective of him.
The teenager was diagnosed with ADHD and was liable to act without thinking.
Dolan, a pupil at the Howard School in Medway, was with four or five friends and his girlfriend on the day.
Friends of the 15-year-old responded by calling 999 and his girlfriend contacted his mother.
A view of a busy beach in Margate, Kent
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The teen was treated by paramedics before being taken to King's College Hospital by air ambulance.
However, MRI scans showed his brain is now beyond repair.
The Dolans currently live in council accommodation and hope to move to a suitable home as soon as possible.
More than £12,000 has been raised by 451 donating to the family’s fundraising page.
Sam Cass, who organised the crowdfunder, described Dolan as “the biggest joker, with a heart of gold”.
He added: “He loves to show off in front of girls and won't leave the house without doing his hair.
“He loves his family, will do anything for his sisters and this fundraiser is to take a little bit of the burden away from them.
“Many people love Jack and I'm sure they all wish the family wasn't going through this right now.”