Friends of a Calgary woman who was badly beaten at a resort in Mexico are collecting donations to help cover her medical costs.
Sheila Nabb, 37, was found beaten and lying in a pool of blood in an elevator at the Hotel Riu Emerald Bay in Mazatlan on Saturday. She was on vacation in the popular tourist area with her husband Andrew at the time.
Nabb's uncle Robert Prosser, who lives in Kingston, N.S., told CTV Calgary that his niece was placed in an medically-induced coma.
"Every bone in her face is broken," he said.
Nabb's friends in Calgary are setting up a trust fund for her and her husband. Those wishing to help are also being encouraged to drop off donations at a chiropractic clinic where she works as a manager.
Nabb's aunt Jean Prosser told CTVNews.ca the family had hoped to fly her home within a few days to continue her treatment in Canada. Nabb's surgeon, however, said it will be several weeks before she can be moved.
The family has received some good news though, Prosser said.
"They did a CT scan and it showed just a little bit of brain swelling and so we're hoping all of that goes well and Thursday they're going to wire her jaw and do the surgery," she said in a phone interview.
Prosser said Nabb's husband's father has flown to Mexico to be with them.
"It's hard. Her mom finds it hard, her sister finds it extremely hard and it's really, really hard on (Andrew)," she said.
"We're just doing the best we can."
The family has no idea why Nabb was attacked.
Foreign Affairs officials are revealing few details about the incident, but say they are assisting the woman and her family.
"Our thoughts are with the badly injured Canadian and her family during this difficult time," said a statement emailed by the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade.
"Our officials in Mexico are providing consular assistance to her and her family and are in contact with Mexican authorities."
Mexican news website noroeste.com has reported that Nabb may have been assaulted in a hotel room and then dragged to the elevator. She was reportedly turned away by two private clinics before she was taken to a hospital in serious condition.
This is the latest in a string of reports of violence involving Canadians visiting Mexico.
Salih Abdulaziz Sahbaz, a Canadian citizen originally from Iraq, was gunned down last week in an area of Mexico known for drug violence.
Last month, the body of Ximena Osequeda, a Vancouver resident and student, was found on a beach in Huatulco, south of Acapulco, along with that of her Mexican boyfriend.
And Robin Wood of Salt Spring Island, B.C., was killed when he confronted two robbery suspects.
The Canadian government has issued travel warnings for Mexico due to increasing gang and drug-related violence, and is advising Canadians to avoid crossing into Mexico by land.
-- With a report from CTV Calgary's Sue French
