Calif. Woman Has 'No Feeling from the Chest Down' After Being Struck by Tree Limb on Vacation

Deanne Niedziela sustained a near-fatal spinal cord injury during a waterfall hike in Costa Rica with her husband, family says

A California nursing director will soon be returning to the United States after she was hospitalized following a freak accident on vacation.

Deanne Niedziela was on vacation in Costa Rica with her husband on Sunday when she was “struck by a falling tree limb” during a waterfall hike, according to a GoFundMe campaign.

The couple was touring La Paz Waterfall Gardens Nature Park at the time, according to ABC affiliate KABC-TV.

Her husband, Ken Niedziela, told KABC-TV that he “heard a huge crash” that sounded like “thunder,” which turned out to be a five-foot tree limb falling down and, eventually, hitting his wife.

"This thing came slamming to the ground,” the Orange County man told the outlet. “And I looked over and saw Deanne laying on the ground."

Related: 6-Year-Old Girl Hospitalized After Strap She Was Playing with While Riding in Truck 'Severed Her Feet'

Deanne "suffered a nearly fatal spinal cord injury," according to the GoFundMe page. After being hospitalized, she underwent nine hours of surgery on Monday, per KABC-TV.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

As of Wednesday, Deanne still has “no feeling from the chest down,” Ken wrote in an update on the GoFundMe page. However, she is now “off supplemental oxygen” and “alert and talking.”

Ken also told KABC-TV that his wife “has limited movement of her arms," but “no finger strength to speak of.”

Ken hopes he and his wife can fly back to the United States on Friday through a medical flight, he shared on the fundraising page.

The goal is to have Deanne “admitted to Providence Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo,” where she works as a nursing director, he added.

"They can treat her as needed and get her into the rehab unit there and see what happens," Ken told KABC-TV.

Related: Fertility Doctor Accused of Using Own Sperm to Impregnate Patients Dies After Hand-Built Plane Crashes

Rebecca Wile, who organized the GoFundMe, said the cost to bring Deanne back via medical transport is steep: $100,000. As of Thursday, more than $131,000 has been raised.

“It is so tragic that this trip of [a] lifetime suddenly turned into a life-threatening medical emergency,” said Jennifer Cord, chief nursing officer at Providence Mission Hospital, according to KABC-TV.

"She's very strong, and I think that will help her in the long run," Ken told the outlet.

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.