“I think that this has changed everyone’s lives in a very significant way,” Sonja Celius' eldest daughter said
Sonja Celius Credit: Gofundme
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A mother of three is recovering after she survived being hit by a train
Sonja Celius, a mother of three from Nevada, had both of her legs amputated after the incident
“All of us cried for multiple days,” her eldest daughter said
A mother of three has lost both of her legs after being hit by a train in Arizona.
It’s been two weeks since Sonja Celius was struck by a train while in town from Nevada, her eldest daughter, Kayla Hicklen, told KPHO in a Wednesday, May 6 interview. The injuries she sustained led to the woman having her lower limbs amputated.
“I think that this has changed everyone’s lives in a very significant way,” Kayla told the news station.
Her daughter said when authorities contacted her about the accident, it was “probably one of the most traumatizing pieces of news” she’s ever received.
The incident happened on the morning of April 25 near 27th Avenue and Thomas Road. It is still unclear how the life-altering collision took place.
The Phoenix Police Department did not name Celius specifically, but confirmed to PEOPLE that officers responded “to a person hit by a train” that day, just after 9:00 a.m, local time.
When responding officers arrived, they found “an injured adult female,” who was transported to a local hospital by Phoenix Fire personnel with life-threatening injuries. The train remained at the scene, police said.
“I didn’t really know what to say or think,” Kayla said. “All of us cried for multiple days. I was just devastated.”
Still, her eldest is grateful that things weren’t worse.
“She’s a walking miracle because she’s alive after being hit by a train, but it’s so devastating to know that my mother will never walk again,” she added.
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The family has started a GoFundMe “to support our travel expenses, our mother’s care, and most importantly, to provide any and all support for her youngest son who is still 16, providing him stability in these crucial years of his life and development.”
Kayla and her two younger siblings currently live out of state while their mother is hospitalized in Arizona.
Details on what led up to the collision are all part of the ongoing investigation, the Phoenix Police Department told PEOPLE on Friday.
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