NORTON, Ohio (AP) — A northeast Ohio woman whose scalp was ripped away in a workplace machine accident has been released from a hospital and says she's counting her blessings.

The incident occurred nearly three weeks ago as Monica Thayer was clearing out a machine at a manufacturing plant in Barberton, outside of Akron.

The 25-year-old Norton woman tells WEWS-TV she felt a tug on her ponytail and screamed for help from a co-worker, who stopped the machine.

Thayer calls it a "freak accident" and says she feels grateful to be alive because of the severity of her injury. Surgeons have used skin grafts to help cover the wound, and her head remains heavily bandaged.

She'll have to wear wigs from now on but says her brain and spine weren't damaged.