Yuma Man Paralyzed After Surgery Faces Mounting Medical Costs

A GoFundMe created Jan. 5 is seeking support for Nicky Hurtado, a Yuma resident who became paralyzed following surgery related to a 2002 traffic crash. Organizers say Hurtado had lived nearly two decades without major problems after his initial surgery but began experiencing complications in 2021 that culminated in a 2024 operation. Following that procedure he was left paralyzed from the chest down with limited arm and hand function and required an additional surgery in 2025.

Hurtado is currently receiving specialized rehabilitation at Craig Hospital in Colorado. The campaign organizer called Craig Hospital one of the "top five spinal cord and brain injury rehabilitation hospitals in the world," and said his days consist of seven to eight hours of intensive therapy. That regimen includes physical therapy, occupational therapy, recreational therapy, and life-skills classes "designed to help him adapt to life with a spinal cord injury," the organizer said.

While the clinical focus is intensive rehabilitation and recovery, organizers say the family is confronting steep nonmedical burdens as well. "While this care is critical and is truly a blessing, it has created a significant financial burden," the organizer said. The GoFundMe campaign lists needs that include medical costs not covered by insurance, travel and lodging for family members, lost income, and preparations for accessibility when Hurtado returns to Yuma. As of publication the campaign had raised $1,030 toward a $1,300 goal.

The case underscores challenges facing Yuma County families coping with catastrophic injuries. High-level spinal cord rehabilitation is concentrated in a few specialized centers, often far from smaller communities, requiring families to travel and to shoulder lodging and transportation expenses in addition to medical bills. Intensive outpatient and inpatient rehabilitation can be crucial to maximizing functional recovery, but access depends on insurance coverage, geographic proximity, and family resources.

For local public health and policy, Hurtado’s situation highlights persistent gaps in equitable access to long-term rehabilitation and the ripple effects on household income and caregiving capacity. Community-based supports, coordinated discharge planning, and policies that reduce out-of-pocket costs for extended rehabilitation could ease the burden for families in Yuma County and other rural communities.

As Hurtado continues daily therapy at Craig Hospital, the modest GoFundMe campaign reflects both the immediate needs of one family and the broader strain places on communities when specialized care lies beyond local health systems. Community members who have supported the effort say the priority is helping him return home with the resources he will need to live with a spinal cord injury.