Katie Malone is finally home after a typical vacation activity turned into a nightmare.
[Ads /]
She decided to go parasailing in Puerto Vallarta. The rope tethered to a boat somehow broke and she went flying through the air for 45 minutes.
Malone crash-landed and suffered a fractured skull, fractured pelvis, broken ribs, a collapsed lung and other injuries.
And to make matters worse, Malone did not have insurance. With her brain swelling, it was a true race against time to get her back to the states for treatment.
[Ads /]
Luckily, former U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter and his son pitched in to pay for Malone's flight.
"Life Flight folks would not take off until they got some money, and they needed $18,900. So he and I sent them a personal guarantee," Hunter said.
Malone landed safely back in San Diego. Her entire family is now thanking the former congressman and the entire community for their support.
WPVI-TV contributed to this report.