Nurse back home in Phoenix following horrific July crash in Colorado

PHOENIX - An Arizona woman is back home home from Colorado after suffering terrible injuries on a camping trip in July.

It's been 55 days since a car accident left Jennifer McColley, a mother of six, blind and with other major injuries, but her family and community rallied together to bring her home.

"It’s the most wonderful day I’ll ever remember in my whole life," said McColley's mother, Marie Latlip. "To see my daughter and my grandkids, they missed her so much and she missed them. She has never been away that long."

McColley was driving with her friend when she lost control of her SUV in July. The car rolled over 150 feet down a cliff. Her friend made it out safely, but McColley broke her ribs, her back and lost her sight.

For nearly two months, McColley stayed in a Colorado hospital, and family members started a GoFundMe to help the longtime nurse, who worked in the frontlines during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

"She's never done anybody wrong. She helps everyone, so once the word got out to the nursing community, we hit our GoFundMe goal in 36 minutes," said McColley's niece, Kat Byers.

McColley’s insurance could not cover her stay in Colorado much longer. The $20,000 raised for medical expenses helped, but family members need to get her home to her kids. Air Evac International donated and organized this flight.

"Instead of being 13 hours away from her family and friends, you can heal with your family and friends around you," said Byers. "She needs healing. We need her here."

McColley still has a long road to recovery ahead. She will be staying at a local hospital as she needs back surgery, and her family says she may never walk again.