I feel bad for the family in this case, but I think people do have a legitimate argument that taxpayers shouldn’t be responsible for the medical costs:
Whether the government should financially support an individual who fell from a cliff at the Grand Canyon and is currently in a coma is drawing a mixed reaction.
Korea Times
On Dec. 30, 2018, a 25-year-old man surnamed Park fell off the cliff and was transferred to a hospital. Although he survived physically, he is still unconscious.
His medical bill at the Flag Staff Medical Center is now over 1 billion won ($ 885,347), and his family wants him to be brought back to Korea, which will cost an additional 200 million won.
“If the duty of citizen is to do their duty to the state, the state’s responsibility is to protect its countrymen, even one,” stated a post written by Park’s uncle on the Cheong Wa Dae website for a petition which has received more than 19,000 signatures.
However, the post faced a huge backlash with people saying the government should not provide any financial support.
You can read the rest at the link, but the family is blaming the tour guide for the fall. I have been to the Grand Canyon many times and there are areas without safety fences, however you have to be doing something stupid to fall off the cliff.
