News.com.au reports Lars Mittank did not initially realize how serious the injury was. However, he was eventually forced to seek medical attention. Vizaca reports he was ultimately diagnosed with a possible concussion and a perforated eardrum.
The doctor prescribed Mittank an antibiotic and warned him not to fly, as the pressure could cause him intense pain or further damage his eardrum. Therefore, he was forced to stay behind when his friends caught their scheduled flight back to Germany.
As reported by News.com.au, Mittank left the resort and booked a room in a cheaper hotel in the city. In a later interview, one of Mittank’s friends said he was “relaxed” and seemed to be in a “good mood” when they left him at the hotel. However, Vizaca reports he called his mother, Sandra, later that same evening in a state of panic.
During the call, Mittank said he believed he was being followed by a group of men and was in fear for his life. As reported by Vizaca, he also asked her to cancel his debit and credit cards because he was afraid he would be robbed. Sandra said she thought her son was “in danger,” and she “could hear his heart pounding over the phone.”
Late that night, into the early hours of the following morning, surveillance cameras captured Mittank pacing in the hotel foyer, peering out the windows, and at one point apparently “hiding” inside an elevator.