SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - A vacation nightmare is nearly over as the San Diego woman injured parasailing in Mexico is beginning her medical journey in the United States.
Katie Malone has been at UCSD Medical Center ever since landing at Brown Field late Tuesday night on a private life flight.
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The 29-year-old has a broken pelvis, sacrum along with several other serious injuries from falling after the parasailing device she was attached to broke off the boat.
“It just makes your heart drop,” said Brendan Malone on the video of his sister attached to a parachute being blown around, “but ever since we got back in the states… it’s a pretty full heart and full of smiles knowing that Katie is doing a lot better now.”
Doctors in Mexico did all they could in treating her broken jaw and other trauma, but swelling at the base of her brain had them urging Katie to be treated back in the United States.
Katie did not have medical trip insurance so donations by hundreds of people and even a phone call by former U.S. Congressman. Duncan Hunter Sr. to the embassy made sure she got home.
“We just thank anyone that had their hands in it and we know God had his hands in it,” said her mother Sidona Malone, “she is such a trooper.”
Katie's surgery is scheduled for Wednesday night and she is expected to be in the hospital for several weeks.
