An 82-year-old San Tan Valley woman is home after a summer-long fight for her life that began when she fell asleep at her neighborhood community pool in 105 degree heat.

Betty-Lou Summer was hospitalized June 11 after she was found unresponsive and covered in blisters, according to ABC15, which first reported her story. The heat left her with third-degree burns, heat stroke, septic shock, and a kidney injury that required dialysis.

She spent weeks at a Valley burn center and went through multiple surgeries before her release on July 27. Rehabilitation came next: physical, occupational, and speech therapy, plus ongoing wound care. Now she is finally home.

"Finally, finally, a sigh of relief," her daughters Michelle Gabbert and Jill Watts told ABC15.

Doctors say she is out of the woods, and she will continue outpatient wound care and therapy. Betty-Lou says she has no interest in returning to the pool. She is looking forward to her pets, her flower garden, and baking chocolate cream pie.

What Her Story Can Teach the Rest of Us

Betty-Lou's summer shows how fast Arizona heat can turn deadly, even in a familiar place like a neighborhood pool. A few reminders worth keeping all season:

Extreme heat can overwhelm the body quickly, and older adults are at higher risk. Outdoor surfaces like pool decks hold dangerous heat long after midday. Check on older family members and neighbors during heat waves, especially anyone who spends time outside alone. And if someone in the heat seems confused, faint, or will not wake, call 911 right away.