Latest news with #AdelaMagaña
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Woman's Arm Amputated After Tree Falls on Her in Freak Mini Golf Accident While Celebrating Her Son's 13th Birthday
Adela Magaña, 53, and her family made a last-minute decision to go mini-golfing in an attempt to make her son's birthday more fun NEED TO KNOW A California woman had her arm amputated after a palm tree fell on her at Golf N' Stuff mini golf course in Ventura on Aug. 6 Adela Magaña, 53, was at the mini golf course with her family shortly after 5:30 p.m. local time when the incident occurred She was there that day to celebrate her son's 13th birthday A California woman's arm was amputated following a freak accident during what was supposed to be a fun family outing. Adela Magaña, 53, was celebrating her son's 13th birthday at Golf N' Stuff mini golf course in Ventura, Calif., shortly after 5:30 p.m. local time on Aug. 6, when a palm tree fell on her, per local news outlet VC Star. The mother of four was sitting on a bench watching others play when the accident occurred, according to the outlet. 'I was going to go look for the ball, and [...] I heard a screeching sound — like a branch breaking,' Magaña's son, Junior, 22, told VC Star. 'I thought nothing of it, but then I heard a big old thump, and people were running toward my mom.' Junior and his father, Amando, along with two other people, ran to lift the tree — which was about 40 feet long — off Adela. "After that, we went straight into stopping the bleeding,' Junior recalled. 'We got a belt, used it as a tourniquet, held it and had other people call 911.' Junior also said that the family hadn't even planned to be at the course that day, noting that it had been a last-minute decision. "We were trying to make [my brother's] birthday a little bit better because it was mid-week, and we didn't know what to do. We thought of something fast: play mini golf and then go have dinner afterward. But we never got to dinner," he recalled. Adela was treated by Ventura City Fire Department officials on the scene and then transported to the Ventura County Medical Center, where surgeons ultimately determined that her right arm needed to be amputated just below the shoulder. She had surgery on Aug. 7, per VC Star. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Adela's daughter, Nancy, said her mom, who manufactures bolts at an automotive racing products company, now has a 'long road' to recovery. 'She's a very strong woman — even at this point. She's not able to talk, but she's able to nod her head. She has a long journey ahead of her,' she said while speaking to the outlet. Nancy also said that her younger brother, 13-year-old Damien, will also need to heal from the trauma of the event on his birthday. 'It's a lot to take in as a 13-year-old to witness that. It's always going to be there for him,' she said. PEOPLE reached out to the Ventura City Fire Department for comment on Friday, Aug. 15, but did not receive an immediate response. In an email to PEOPLE, Kevin Martin, general manager at Golf N' Stuff's Ventura location, said that the course was shut down following the incident for 'precautionary reasons' and will reopen after consulting with a licensed arborist. He also provided an official statement from the business, which stated, 'Golf N' Stuff Ventura has always, and will continue to make safety for its valued guests its top priority." 'Through this recent event we were reminded how unpredictable and unforgiving Mother Nature can be at times. Rather than simply be humbled by her unpredictability, we aim to be proactive moving forward to ensure safety for all,' they said. 'We will be aligning ourselves even more with our licensed Arborist and Tree Service to give us the knowledge we need.' They continued, 'Our thoughts and prayers are with Mrs. Magaña and her family. Updates have told us that she has been a warrior in her recovery.' Read the original article on People
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Woman's Arm Amputated After Tree Falls on Her in Freak Mini Golf Accident While Celebrating Her Son's 13th Birthday
Adela Magaña, 53, and her family made a last-minute decision to go mini-golfing in an attempt to make her son's birthday more fun NEED TO KNOW A California woman had her arm amputated after a palm tree fell on her at Golf N' Stuff mini golf course in Ventura on Aug. 6 Adela Magaña, 53, was at the mini golf course with her family shortly after 5:30 p.m. local time when the incident occurred She was there that day to celebrate her son's 13th birthday A California woman's arm was amputated following a freak accident during what was supposed to be a fun family outing. Adela Magaña, 53, was celebrating her son's 13th birthday at Golf N' Stuff mini golf course in Ventura, Calif., shortly after 5:30 p.m. local time on Aug. 6, when a palm tree fell on her, per local news outlet VC Star. The mother of four was sitting on a bench watching others play when the accident occurred, according to the outlet. 'I was going to go look for the ball, and [...] I heard a screeching sound — like a branch breaking,' Magaña's son, Junior, 22, told VC Star. 'I thought nothing of it, but then I heard a big old thump, and people were running toward my mom.' Junior and his father, Amando, along with two other people, ran to lift the tree — which was about 40 feet long — off Adela. "After that, we went straight into stopping the bleeding,' Junior recalled. 'We got a belt, used it as a tourniquet, held it and had other people call 911.' Junior also said that the family hadn't even planned to be at the course that day, noting that it had been a last-minute decision. "We were trying to make [my brother's] birthday a little bit better because it was mid-week, and we didn't know what to do. We thought of something fast: play mini golf and then go have dinner afterward. But we never got to dinner," he recalled. Adela was treated by Ventura City Fire Department officials on the scene and then transported to the Ventura County Medical Center, where surgeons ultimately determined that her right arm needed to be amputated just below the shoulder. She had surgery on Aug. 7, per VC Star. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Adela's daughter, Nancy, said her mom, who manufactures bolts at an automotive racing products company, now has a 'long road' to recovery. 'She's a very strong woman — even at this point. She's not able to talk, but she's able to nod her head. She has a long journey ahead of her,' she said while speaking to the outlet. Nancy also said that her younger brother, 13-year-old Damien, will also need to heal from the trauma of the event on his birthday. 'It's a lot to take in as a 13-year-old to witness that. It's always going to be there for him,' she said. PEOPLE reached out to the Ventura City Fire Department for comment on Friday, Aug. 15, but did not receive an immediate response. In an email to PEOPLE, Kevin Martin, general manager at Golf N' Stuff's Ventura location, said that the course was shut down following the incident for 'precautionary reasons' and will reopen after consulting with a licensed arborist. He also provided an official statement from the business, which stated, 'Golf N' Stuff Ventura has always, and will continue to make safety for its valued guests its top priority." 'Through this recent event we were reminded how unpredictable and unforgiving Mother Nature can be at times. Rather than simply be humbled by her unpredictability, we aim to be proactive moving forward to ensure safety for all,' they said. 'We will be aligning ourselves even more with our licensed Arborist and Tree Service to give us the knowledge we need.' They continued, 'Our thoughts and prayers are with Mrs. Magaña and her family. Updates have told us that she has been a warrior in her recovery.' Read the original article on People
USA Today
11-08-2025
- Health
- USA Today
Woman loses arm after tree falls on her at California mini-golf course
VENTURA, Calif. — Adela Magaña arrived at Golf N' Stuff, a miniature golf course and amusement park, the evening of Aug. 6 to celebrate her son's 13th birthday. She was sitting on a bench watching her children play miniature golf when one of the many palm trees at the Ventura venue fell on top of her. The 53-year-old Santa Paula resident is now recovering at Ventura County Medical Center after doctors amputated her right arm. 'I was going to go look for the ball, and by that time, I heard a screeching sound — like a branch breaking,' said Magaña's 22-year-old son Junior. 'I thought nothing of it, but then I heard a big old thump, and people were running toward my mom.' Adela Magaña, her husband, and her two sons arrived at the amusement park shortly after 5:30 p.m. They had been there countless times because it was 13-year-old Damien Magaña's favorite activity. 'We were trying to make his birthday a little bit better because it was mid-week, and we didn't know what to do,' Junior Magana said. 'We thought of something fast: play mini golf and then go have dinner afterward. But we never got to dinner.' When the palm tree fell, Damien and Junior were only on their third hole. Junior, his father Amando, and two other mini golfers they didn't know lifted the roughly 40-foot tree off the woman. 'After that, we went straight into stopping the bleeding,' Junior Magaña said. 'We got a belt, used it as a tourniquet, held it and had other people call 911.'The Ventura City Fire Chief David Endaya said that the department responded to Golf N' Stuff at 5:51 p.m. to assist a woman with an arm injury caused by a falling tree. They transported her to Ventura County Medical Center. There, surgeons attempted to save her arm, but the nerves and blood vessels were too damaged. Her arm was amputated just below the shoulder on Aug. 7, the family said. When contacted the afternoon of Aug. 7, a Golf N' Stuff manager declined to provide information on the incident but said the course was open. Adela Magaña is a wife, mother of four and grandmother of one. She manufactures bolts in the Automotive Racing Products factory in Santa Paula and spends her free time with her family. 'She's a very strong woman — even at this point,' daughter Nancy Magaña said. 'She's not able to talk, but she's able to nod her head. She has a long journey ahead of her.' Adela Magaña will require additional surgeries to be able to use a prosthetic, and she will also have to undergo rehabilitation. Damien Magaña will also need to heal from the trauma. 'It's a lot to take in as a 13-year-old to witness that,' Nancy Magaña said. 'It's always going to be there for him.' At the time of the incident, Golf N' Stuff staff focused on comforting the child. Makena Huey is an investigative and watchdog reporter for the Ventura County Star. Reach her at This story was made possible by a grant from the Ventura County Community Foundation's Fund to Support Local Journalism.
