Grant County is giving back to one of its finest, a sheriff's deputy who was injured last month in what's described as a "bizarre" vacation accident.

Jeff Edwards, of Herman, was swimming on a Mexican beach when he was apparently slammed to the ocean floor by a large wave, the Forum reports.

According to the paper, the Army veteran and volunteer firefighter suffered serious injuries and required hospitalization as well as a medical flight to the Twin Cities.

An update on Edwards' YouCaring profile indicates the deputy has undergone a successful surgery on one of his vertebrae, but "significant bruising" on his spinal chord has left him unable to feel anything from his chest down.

It's not yet known how the injuries will affect him going forward.

Perhaps not surprisingly, the medical flight (which cost upwards of $30,000) and treatments have left Edwards and his family with serious medical expenses.

To help with some of those bills, relatives and friends have set up an online fundraising campaign and are planning a benefit to generate donations.

Over $3,600 has been raised so far – the goal is $75,000.

Donations can be made at YouCaring or CaringBridge. In addition, an account has been set up at the Kensington State Bank in Herman (320-677-2211).