Alyssa Jo Lommel Loses All Fingers and Toes, Family Grateful for Bystanders Who Brought Her in From Subzero Temperature
Alyssa Jo Lommel has had to have several surgeries and lost all of her fingers and toes due to frostbite after being left out in sub-zero temperatures by friends. The 19-year-old University of Minnesota Duluth student is grateful to be alive after being subjected to such extreme elements.
Alyssa was found on the porch of a home, unconscious and hypothermic, in nothing more than a jacket and Ugg boots to keep her warm. She had apparently been left there by friends after an evening out and spent at least nine hours in the subzero temperatures.
Her mother, Teri, finally updated everyone on Alyssa's case and noted that she had lost all of her fingers and toes below the knuckles.
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"On the plus side, her heels looked better than expected and she would be able to put pressure on both once they healed," Teri noted.
This means that she will be able to walk with special inserts developed by doctors. Unfortunately, the family has not yet told Alyssa about her hands but plans to do so immediately, which will be a heart-breaking discussion. Alyssa has already had multiple surgeries but will still have to undergo more and then go through serious physical therapy to learn how to walk and use prosthetic hands.
The family is hopeful that Alyssa will be able to return home in mid-February and are extremely grateful to the bystanders that found the teen on the porch and called for help.
"We owe Alyssa's life to you two. Our family cannot be grateful enough that you happened to see her. She could not have survived much longer out in the elements. You two will forever be in our hearts and prayers and we cannot thank you enough for what you did," Teri posted online.
According to police reports, Alyssa and friends participated in a night of drinking, and when they dropped her off, they thought she made it safely inside the house.
