Richard Moore received the health scare of a lifetime after returning from his vacation to Turkey. The father of two, who was accompanied on the trip by his wife Julie, had to be rushed to the hospital after getting home. The man was diagnosed with a deadly disease after the symptoms continued to persist.
Richard, who was about to start a new job as an executive chef, decided it was time for a holiday. He and his wife arrived at the four-star Champion Holiday Village in Kemer, Turkey. The couple reportedly paid £2,000 for their stay at the hotel.
The man vividly remembers the hotel being dirty and old the moment they stepped foot on the grounds last year in August. Moore also recalled how their hotel room felt damp and carried a peculiar smell. “I can’t specifically pinpoint to one thing, but the water temperature fluctuated a lot in the shower,” he shared.
The father of two noted how their hotel room and bathroom looked “run down.” The sofa in the room was also allegedly damp, probably thanks to the aircon that was leaking.
As soon as the couple returned home to the UK, Richard started facing the initial stage of symptoms. He reportedly experiences symptoms very similar to those of the flu. The man had to be rushed to the hospital a few weeks later when he experienced pain in his chest. The chest ache was accompanied by shortness of breath and a fever.
Richard was diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease, and he underwent treatment for it. The doctors told the family about the deadly disease while sharing that Mr. Moore might not make it out alive. He went through 5 days of intense treatment at the hospital, much of which he says he does not remember.
Legionnaires’Disease:
“Picture your lungs as a fancy hotel—valet air service, sparkling clean rooms, and excellent housekeeping. But then Legionella bacteria show up like rowdy guests sneaking in through the water system—hot tubs, showers, or cooling towers—ready to throw a wild… pic.twitter.com/PCyFKNFX3a
— Satyendra Dhar, MD SFHM (@DharSaty) May 29, 2025
The father of two claims he suffered memory loss during the treatment. He received a continuous dose of antibiotics and an IV drip throughout the 5 days. “I can’t recall much of my time in hospital, but when I was admitted, I remember the fear and not knowing what was wrong,” he shares.
He went on to note how “lucky” he feels to be alive while adding how “upset” he was to hear that his family was told he might not live. Moore shared how he was unaware of how serious Legionnaires’ disease could be. “I want to tell my story to make other people aware of the symptoms and the dangers,” he added.
Travel illness lawyers at Irwin Mitchell have taken on the responsibility of dealing with Richard’s case. Jennifer Hodgson, who is Moore’s lawyer, noted how “disturbing” the case of the father of the two is, who suffered a grave illness because of his experience at the Turkish hotel.
She notes how serious Legionnaires’ disease is while adding that it is often contracted several days after coming in contact with the Legionella bacteria. The symptoms of the disease also take several days to show.
For those wondering, here’s the symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease (from the Mayo Clinic) #DIYHealthPromotion https://t.co/zKVbtKuuTB pic.twitter.com/LqKXIR7ApS
— Professor Deborah Lupton @dalupton.bsky.social (@DALupton) January 3, 2024
“As Richard has since discovered, the effects of the disease can be long-term,” Hodgson explains. The lawyer noted how their team is determined to help Richard receive “specialist support he deserves,” even though nothing could compensate for what he had to go through.
Along with the extreme illness that he had to fight through, Richard also lost what he describes as his dream job. “It cost me my dream job, my health, and very nearly my life,” the father of two and husband notes.
