Fundraiser For Napa Women Critically Injured On Way To Visit Newborn

NAPA VALLEY, CA — Just days before Thanksgiving, three women left to visit a newborn — the first grandchild for the eldest of the trio, Susana Leon. The women never arrived.

Instead, at 6 a.m. their car lay in a ditch on the Old Sonoma Highway in Napa. Inside, the impact broke the back of each one. Susana Leon, 62, was the most critically injured.

They were on their way to the hospital to help welcome Susana Leon's first grandchild and the family’s first nephew. "They never made it to meet our newest family member," Susana's daughter, Araceli Leon, said in a GoFundMe fundraiser for her mother and two sisters. "What was meant to be one of the happiest days of our lives turned into one of the hardest."

California Highway Patrol Officer Marc Renspurger said the agency is still investigating what led to the early morning accident in the 4300 block of Old Sonoma Highway in Napa. All three were rushed from the local hospital to U.C. Davis Medical Center because their injuries were so severe, according to Araceli Leon. It was the youngest of the three women who called 911 despite her injuries.

The GoFundMe was created to help cover home medical equipment, rehabilitation, and daily care as the women recover from their surgeries and prepare for future ones.

Susana Leon has had major spine and ankle surgeries, and both daughters face long recoveries with custom back braces and more procedures ahead, according to her daughter. All will need long-term medical care. "Doctors have called mom’s progress a miracle, but her recovery journey, along with my sisters, will be long and challenging," Araceli Leon said.

She said that Susana Leon was the sole provider for the household while her husband was homebound on long-term disability. He is now the primary caregiver for all three women while they heal, Araceli Leon said. These are costs far beyond what our family can manage alone," Araceli Leon said. "All donations will directly support their healing and help us bring them back home to comfort, safety, and care."