Jake Wood, the actor behind EastEnders' Max Branning, has issued an urgent appeal for financial support to help a BBC colleague who survived a catastrophic fall during the festive period.
Connor, who serves as an electrician on the Albert Square production, plunged from the rooftop of an 11-storey building whilst on holiday in Colombia over Christmas.
The soap star shared a GoFundMe page with his 193,000 Instagram followers, describing Connor as a "top man" who is "respected by everyone who works at the studios".
"It's a miracle that he has survived," Mr Wood wrote. "He has a family and his mum has flown out to be with him."
Jake Wood shared the plea to Instagram fans
|The actor stressed that funds were "desperately needed" for medical expenses and to bring Connor home.
The electrician underwent multiple life-saving procedures following the devastating incident and spent nine days in a medically induced coma.
According to an update posted on January 2, Connor had been taken off mechanical ventilation and was breathing with only minimal assistance.
He remained in the intensive care unit under light sedation but was showing positive signs of awareness, responding to the presence of his mother Denise, who had travelled to Colombia to be at his bedside.
Jake Wood shared the fundraiser with fans
|BBC
A surgical procedure scheduled for that day had been postponed, with the family expressing hope that it would be rescheduled for the following week.
Page organiser Victoria Dean described Connor as "a loving son, brother, uncle and friend", adding that his survival was nothing short of miraculous.
By midday on Tuesday, the crowdfunding campaign had accumulated £22,800 towards its £26,000 target.
Wood himself contributed £200 to the cause, demonstrating his personal commitment to supporting his colleague.
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An EastEnders colleague suffered a devastating accident
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Fellow EastEnders cast members rallied behind the appeal, with several familiar names appearing on the donor list.
Gillian Taylforth and Emma Barton each gave £100, whilst Jacqueline Osborne donated £200.
Adam Woodyatt, who portrays Ian Beale in the BBC soap, also contributed £100 to help cover Connor's mounting medical costs.
Francesca Henry was among the other donors listed on the fundraising page.
Jake Wood has starred as Max Branning in EastEnders since 2006
|BBC
Connor's family face considerable uncertainty regarding whether his travel insurance will cover the substantial medical expenses that continue to mount.
Victoria Dean, who established the fundraising page, explained that relatives remained unsure about the policy's coverage or when any potential payout might arrive.
She appealed to "those who know Con, if they can help in any way, no matter how small, to cover medical bills to ensure he gets the vital treatment that he needs and for specialist transport back to the UK once he is medically fit enough to travel."
The funds raised will go towards ensuring Connor receives the ongoing care he requires whilst in Colombia, as well as arranging his eventual repatriation to Britain.
His family expressed profound gratitude for the support received, with Denise and relatives signing off their update with heartfelt thanks to all who had contributed.