Surgery Postponed for Local Teen Injured During Storm

Updated at 6:00 p.m., September 7, 2017

Alyssa Nuño’s family has kept the community updated on her health after suffering serious injuries from the microburst storm on Sunday afternoon.

As of Thursday afternoon, Nuño was almost ready to be transferred out of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) to a recovery room based on her favorable progression. An update from a family member stated she is currently working with a team of doctors to get on her feet and to be able to use the restroom on her own.

Surgeries on her fractured skull have been postponed until the swelling decreases. A family member reported her CAT scan came back with positive results, but in order to avoid nerve damage, the doctors opted to wait for surgery. Nuño has been able to open and see out of her left eye, however, her right eye has the potential for complete vision loss. 

A fundraiser has been scheduled for Thursday, September 14 at Topa Topa Brewery in the Funk Zone of Santa Barbara. A percentage of the brewery’s entire earnings for the evening will be donated to Nuño and her family.

The Santa Barbara community has stepped up with financial donations reaching over $30,000 on Thursday evening through their gofundme.com page. Additionally, a fund has also been setup at Montecito Bank & Trust under the “Alyssa Nuño Fund” with the account number 410025543.

Edhat will post more updates on Alyssa’s recovery as they become available.

Reported at 8:00 a.m., September 6, 2017

Alyssa Nuño, a 16-year-old junior at Dos Pueblos High School, is currently undergoing emergency surgery after being injured during the wild microburst storm on Sunday.

Nuño was at West Beach with her family on Sunday afternoon when the storm hit. Umbrellas, chairs, boating equipment, and miscellaneous debris was suddenly tossed around in 70-80 mph wind gusts. 

A family member confirmed the teenager was running from the storm debris when a kayak or kayak rack fell on top of her. She was airlifted to the Los Angeles Children’s Hospital with numerous injuries including a frontal cranial fracture, bilateral orbital fracture, and a broken collarbone, wrist, and nose. 

Nuño started speaking Tuesday evening and is expected to go into surgery on Wednesday, reported the family member.

A donation page has been set up for the family to help cover the cost of medical expenses. The initial request of $10,000 was surpassed within 12 hours of posting. For more information on Nuño’s status and to donate, visit https://www.gofundme.com/alyssanuostrong.