Police find flesh-eating bacteria survivor's stolen van, wheelchair

ATLANTA - An Atlanta woman, who nearly died from flesh-eating bacteria after falling from a zipline in 2012, had to deal with yet another obstacle after thieves stole her accessible van and wheelchair. 

Doctors were forced to amputate 26-year-old Aimee Copeland’s left leg, right foot and both of her hands as a result of the accident. She suffered a deep cut when she fell and then contracted necrotizing fasciitis.

According to Facebook, the van that Steve Rayman donated to Copeland on The Katie Show following the accident was stolen, along with her titanium wheelchair which was in the trunk.

The official page for Copeland said the van was taken from a street in Atlanta Saturday night.

Police recovered the 2012 Honda Odyssey van on Locklwood Drive at an abandoned elementary school with the wheelchair still in the trunk. 

"I am so relieved so very relieved to have Sylvia. which is what I call my car. back," said Copeland. " I mean the gift of having that independence of transportation." 

Copeland said she's grateful the thieves didn't do any major damage and left the wheelchair behind. 

Copeland now works as an advocate for people with disabilities. She was finishing her master’s degree in transpersonal psychology at the University of West Georgia when she fell.

Learn more about Aimee Copeland here.