Rescued hiker recovering after surgery
A hiker from New Zealand who went missing in Joshua Tree National Park continued her recovery after undergoing surgery Monday.
Friday morning, park crews began the search for Claire Nelson, 36, who went missing while hiking on the Lost Palms Oasis trail on Wednesday.
Read: Missing hiker found alive at Joshua Tree National Park
According to her GoFundMe page, Nelson fell off a 15-foot boulder, shattering her pelvis and dislocating her ankle. Nelson said she was forced to drink her urine and create shade from the sun by using a plastic bag.
A helicopter spotted her Friday afternoon. George Land, the park’s public information officer, Nelson was found thanks to a signal she was able to make that caught the attention of the helicopter. She was airlifted to Desert Regional Medical Center and underwent pelvic reconstruction surgery Monday afternoon.
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