Company Offers To Fly Injured Florida Student Back Home
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TAMPA (CBSMiami) -- A local company agreed to fly an injured South Florida student, stuck in Cuba, back home.
A car slammed into University of South Florida student Barbara Jimenez along with her boyfriend John Fox, injuring them and killing the driver earlier this month.
"The doctors in Cuba told us he had head trauma, multiple fractures in his face, hip, lacerations to his kidney and they could not tell us if he was going to live," said Fox's father Jim.
Both of them ended up in a coma for several days. Once stabilized, 22-year old Barbara did not have insurance or funds to return home.
Related: South Florida College Student Trapped In Cuba After Crash
Now, the Tampa Bay area air ambulance transport company JET I.C.U. will step in and make sure she gets back to Tampa General Hospital.
"It is our belief that one should give back to the community whenever possible, which is why we came forward to help. Fortunately, JET I.C.U. is blessed to be in a position to help Barbara and reunite her with her loving family and friends here in Tampa Bay," said JET I.C.U. co-owner Mike Honeycut.
After nearly a month of praying and asking for help Jimenez's sister Caridad says she got what she wanted.
"I've been left speechless with all the support and love my sister has been receiving nationwide and the Tampa Bay community in helping bring my sister home," said Caridad.
Fox's family was able to fly him to Jackson Memorial Hospital earlier but said the plane was not big enough for Barbara but her family, Congressman David Jolly, the Tampa Bay community and Jet ICU came forward to help bring her home.
She is expect to return to Tampa as early as Friday.
"It's tears of joy. I'm just getting excited that hopefully Friday or next week, soon we'll have her here back in the Tampa Bay area," said Caridad.
