Coma baffles doctors

By Sarah Schwager
DOCTORS are at a loss to explain why a Cranbourne motorcyclist has not woken up from a coma after he was involved in a collision with a car last week.
The family is now appealing for community support as the man’s mother struggles to care for her son.
Mark Golotta, 22, has not woken since his motorbike and a car collided in Cranbourne West on Wednesday 29 August, killing the car’s 51-year-old Hampton Park driver.
Donna Golotta said her son’s spinal cord was severed and after numerous surgeries it was still very much touch and go.
“I am speechless, I am just devastated. I have been told that if he does wake up he will never walk again,” Ms Golotta said.
“I don’t know if anyone was doing something wrong, but the driver didn’t deserve to die. No-one does.
“And my son doesn’t deserve to be in this condition. We don’t even know if he’s going to survive. It’s just not fair.”
Police said a blue Ford station wagon and a Yamaha R6 motorbike were travelling west on Thompsons Road when traffic came to a stop.
Police believe the motorcyclist was overtaking stopped vehicles when the driver of the Ford started to do a U-turn and the two vehicles collided at 8.15am.
The Coroner is investigating the incident.
Debra Battye, who lives in Yarrawonga where Mr Golotta grew up, said doctors still did not know if her nephew would wake.
“Apparently his legs have started moving but his eyes won’t open. They can’t figure out why this is happening, if there is brain damage,” Mrs Battye said.
“He should have woken by now. The doctors are just really confused by it all at the moment and shocked.”
Mrs Battye said to see Mr Golotta just lying there was indescribable.
“He is the happiest character you could come across.
“To see him in hospital after his hands were smashed and his lips ripped open and not knowing what’s going to happen … he is really in a bit of a bad way.”
Known as ‘Marky Mark’ at the motorcycle clubs and ‘Pinhead’ to his friends, the motorbike enthusiast and dancer was on his way to work that morning when the crash occurred.
Mr Golotta had only moved to Cranbourne with his family, including brother Harvey, 13, and sister Shareen, 20, a couple of years ago and was working as an apprentice for a boilermaker.
Mrs Battye said now all his dreams had been shattered.
Ms Golotta recently lost her job at a nursing home after the new industrial relations legislation was introduced.
Finding it difficult to work having to spend so much time at the Royal Melbourne Hospital with her son, Ms Golotta is now struggling to raise the funds for the trips into the city on top of all their other expenses.
“She’s always done it on her own,” Mrs Battye said.
“If we could do some fundraising for them it would make the burden that much easier for them.
“It would be so good for Donna to at least know that there’s some support out there, even if it’s just verbal. This has been so unbelievably hard on her.”
Any witnesses to the incident can contact the Casey Traffic Management Unit on 9705 3174.
If anyone is able to help out the Golotta family, call Debra Battye on 5744 2857.