Rapids City Fire Protection District Firefighter Mary Beth Eggers is going home after being injured when a large tree branch fell on her.
On July 15, Eggers says the tree branch fell on her as her crew was putting out a fire in the Hillsdale area. The incident sent Eggers to the hospital with multiple fractures to her body along with six broken ribs and a punctured left lung.
“I’m not gonna lie, it was the biggest struggle of my life," she told KWQC News. "I mean, just from that moment I was on my back for weeks, and that moment of just sitting up, first sitting up just was the hardest workout in my life”
Eggers, who is also an EMT, said her support system is what kept her motivated to keep fighting to get back.
“All those people, the community behind me, my fellow firefighters, my Genesis Ambulance co-workers, the entire Upper Rock Island County and beyond, and how they’ve rallied and just sent me texts and cards. I don’t think they realize just how much courage and strength that gave me. It was incredible,” said Eggers.
Eggers says once she’s healed, she plans to continue her career as an emergency first responder in some capacity.
