Woman hit with $1.2m bill after losing foot in Yosemite

Anna Parsons, the 21-year-old University of Otago student who fell nearly 40 feet rock climbing in the US' Yosemite National Park, had her foot amputated - and now she's been hit with a $1.2m hospital bill.

The New Zealand native was climbing on Runout Slab at Snake Dike in the park when she slipped and rolled down a slope, breaking nearly every bone in her body.

According to the NZ Herald, Parsons' sister, Jessica Ennor, said the fall caused her to have a punctured lung.

Her left foot was significantly damaged to the point it had to be amputated. Last week, she also had major reconstructive surgery on her right foot.

"The only things that weren't broken were her arms, her thigh bones, and her head, which is amazing," Ennor said.

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Ennor also said that Parsons is "family-oriented," "studious," and "passionate about environmental issues" and enjoys things such as "surfing, rock climbing, mountain biking."

Parsons, a third-year marine ecology student, won a scholarship to spend time studying at the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre in British Columbia, Canada.

So, she went to North America early on to get some climbing in before her classes began.

"She has been rock climbing for a couple of years, but I wouldn't say she was experienced," Ennor said.

"Runout Slab was supposed to be an easy climb."

Parson's parents flew over to California after the accident to be by her side.

In a message shared on the internet, she said that she was grateful to the quick and efficient rescue team who got her to the hospital.

Due to the hospital started working on her back straight away, she has not been paralyzed by her spinal injuries and will be able to walk again, although she will have to use a prosthetic, Ennor said.

Ennor noted that Parsons was "getting very overwhelmed with emotion" about how lucky she was to be "alive, saved and spared."

She also spoke about her "amazingly positive" outlook of still chasing her dream as a "marine scientist with one leg, hiking through the mountains, testing algae."

She further said it's too early to say when Parsons can come home but doesn't think it should be rushed.

Parsons is still in a hospital near San Francisco, where her medical bills reached the $1m threshold.

Her travel insurance is only covering a portion of the costs of her hospital care and surgeries.

"Money is something we don't like to stress about, but Anna's medical bills exceed $1 million," Ennor added.

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