Nurse 'Seriously' Injured In Costa Rica Returns Home To South OC

MISSION VIEJO, CA — The Orange County community is rejoicing after a local nurse critically injured by a falling tree branch in Costa Rica made it safely home, thanks to the efforts of a team of doctors and the 1,700+ donations sent in by the community.

South Orange County nurse Deanne Niedziela suffered a major spine injury over Memorial Day weekend while vacationing in Costa Rica.

According to her husband, Ken, the couple was on a waterfall hike at the La Paz Waterfall Gardens in Costa Rica when a tree limb fell on Deanne and left her without feeling from the chest down.

RELATED: Tree Branch Falls On South OC Nurse While Vacationing In Costa Rica

While describing the event, Ken wrote on GoFundMe that the sound of the tree branch breaking overhead sounded like "a loud clap of thunder."

Seconds later, Ken caught a blurred glimpse of the tree branch falling before his wife was knocked to the ground and pinned by the branch.

The Niedziela family sought the community's help in transporting Deanne back to Providence Mission Viejo, where she currently oversees the Spine & Neuroscience Institute and Acute Care Service, by gathering donations via GoFundMe.

As of Monday, over $182,000 had been raised for the effort.

"Deanne is resting comfortably in the caring hands of her Mission Hospital colleagues," family friend Rebecca Wile wrote on the GoFundMe page. "We want to deeply thank the more than 1,700 GoFundMe donors...So many people to thank. So many."

To learn more about Deanne's story, visit the family's GoFundMe page.