Stand by Mikayla and Josh in this critical medical journey.

My daughter, Mikayla Nielsen, got in a serious ATV accident on June 30, 2025.

This type of thing only happens to other people, not you or your family. Never forget, life can change in an instant. Everyone, including myself, does the woulda, shoulda, coulda thing. Well, you can't change the past and dwell on it. We can only focus on the future.

She had to be life-flighted out of the Pryor Mountains. Josh, her fiancé, called and told us Mikayla was in a serious accident and to go to the emergency room. Life flight is taking Mikayla to the emergency room. All the way there, you are hoping and praying for the best.

Mikayla had lacerated her liver, had blood on the brain, broke or fractured about 9 ribs, punctured a lung, ruptured her spleen, and broke her arm right at the elbow—all of which is minor compared to her crushed lower back vertebrae. The vertebrae bones were pressing up against her spinal cord, so the first surgery was to remove those bones. The doctor said they got the bones out. The spinal cord was not severed, and there was no spinal cord fluid leaking out, which is good. The next day, the doctor went in and removed one rib, replaced the crushed vertebrae with a metal one, and put pins and screws in other vertebrae to inhibit movement while the bone regrows around the metal one. Currently, she has no feeling from the waist down. She does have, for lack of better words, tingly sensations in her belly region, and her legs have not spasmed. Spasms are a bad thing. The way I understand it, spasms are basically the nerves dying.

All things considered, Mikayla has had a great attitude. I personally can't say I would have that good of an attitude. I can't say enough good about Josh! He has been 100% positive through it all and a trooper. He has spent the last 3 weeks by her side, day and night, sleeping in a lousy hard chair. We are currently waiting for her arm to heal more, then she and Josh will go to Colorado, Craig Hospital for Physical Therapy Plus. Craig requires the primary caregiver to be with the patient during the minimum 45 days. However, Josh is not allowed to stay with Mikayla, so he will be living out of a hotel. He will not be working and will run out of vacation if not already.

Because Josh is not married to Mikayla yet, he falls in a grey area where the company will allow him to go to Colorado but receive no income after vacation runs out.

We are all grateful Mikayla is alive. She and Josh have a long road ahead of them. All we can ask of people is prayers. Pray her back heals, pray her spinal cord heals and starts sending signals again, pray her legs never spasm, and pray for her time and healing at Craig. It sounds like Craig Hospital is the best place in the nation to be if you have spinal injuries! Lastly, pray for strength for Mikayla and Josh.

There is a procedure the doctor would like to try down the road after Craig Hospital that insurance tends to consider experimental and generally does not pay for, but they have had stories of success. Out of pocket, it would cost Mikayla and Josh approximately $40,000-$50,000, added to Josh's living expenses in Colorado and continuing to pay their current bills.

This GoFundMe is being set up for both Josh and Mikayla to help with medical expenses, living expenses in Colorado for Josh since he won't be making an income but is required to be there until Mikayla is done with Craig Hospital, plus the experimental procedure down the road.

Disclaimer: I, Mikayla's dad, am only the messenger, and anything raised will 100% go to both Josh and Mikayla.