AURORA — An Aurora police officer is recovering after a tragic motorcycle crash over the weekend in Nebraska.
Jennifer Mills, who has been a domestic violence detective with the Aurora Police Department for 11 years, said she took a trip to South Dakota with her fiance, Troy, to purchase a motorcycle.
She was riding that motorcycle back home to Colorado on Aug. 20 when she ran into a damaged road in Nebraska while going 70 mph.
“I don't really remember a whole lot," she said. "I do know that I hit something in the road — big pothole — which catapulted me off the bike."
Luckily, she was wearing a helmet.
"I remember laying in the grass and calling for Troy," she said. “I don't remember medical personnel showing up or going into the hospital.”
She had multiple broken bones, including three breaks in her right arm, a dislocated elbow and two broken feet. She has undergone several surgeries, with more on the way.
Mills has been recovering at a Nebraska hospital ever since the crash.
"I'm away from all my family. My kids. My daughter is here with me," Mills said.
The community is stepping up to get her home as quickly as possible.
When Geno Haggan, owner of Peak Medevac International heard what happened, he was determined to get Mills back to Colorado.
"As soon as I heard that I'm like, 'This is perfect for Peak Medevac to help out. That fits right in our portfolio, what we can do,'" Haggan said. "I have the staffing, the airplanes were ready to go 24/7. So anytime something like this comes up, we're in a perfect position to help out and I want to help out the community."
Haggan is arranging for a medical flight to pick Mills up in a few days.
"I'm extremely grateful. I'm grateful for the community for reaching out," Mills said.
She will be reunited with her family early next week.
Her sister Che Mills said she appreciates the outpouring of support.
"I'm eternally grateful for everybody that has stepped in and reached out with prayers with everything," Che said. "She's handling this like a champ for somebody who almost had her life taken away from her."
"It's very heartwarming," Mills added. "I've never thought I'd ever be in a situation like this. I've always been one that helps everybody else out and I'm incredibly grateful for one, that I'm alive and two, that I have the support from everybody that I do."
Peak Medevac is taking donations to help pay for the flight but said they will cover any costs they don't receive from the community. You can click here to donate through AeroAngel. Just select "Special Flight Fund."
