SOUTH LAGUNA : Harriet Nelson Falls, Fractures Her Spine
Harriet Nelson, star of the TV classic “Ozzie and Harriet,” will be released today from South Coast Medical Center, where she was treated for a fractured spine.
Nelson, 80, slipped down the front steps of her home in Laguna Beach on Wednesday afternoon. The steps had just been painted and were still wet, according to her physician, James Selevan.
Nelson fractured her upper thoracic spine and was admitted to the hospital in fair condition.
“She is doing fine now, though still in pain and uncomfortable,” said Karen Bro, director of public relations for the hospital. “She has walked a few times around the room since she was admitted, which is a good sign.”
Bro added that bed rest for the next few weeks will be essential for Nelson’s recovery.
Nelson was also recently honored by a South Coast Medical Center fund-raising group for her longtime support of the hospital. Her son, David, attended in her absence. Nelson’s husband died in 1975, and her younger son, Ricky, was killed in a 1985 air crash.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
