Family of Aoife Beary say she has ‘long road to recovery’ ahead

The family of injured J1 student Aoife Beary has released a statement on her welfare following the collapse of a balcony in Berkeley, California last month in which six Irish students died.

Ms Beary, from Blackrock in Co Dublin, had been celebrating her 21st birthday at her apartment in Library Gardens at the time of the collapse.

Those who lost their lives were Lorcán Miller, Eimear Walsh, Niccolai Schuster, cousins Olivia Burke and Ashely Donohoe and Eoghan Culligan.

Writing on a Facebook page entitled ‘Friends of Aoife Beary’, the Beary family said they were “overwhelmed by the support, best wishes,and prayers” they had received over the last two weeks.

Speaking of Ms Beary's condition, the family said she had stabilised following sucessfull heart surgery at the Stanford Medical Centre in Palo Alto on June 26th.

Saying she has made “steady progress” over the last few days, they added that she is still in a “critical condition” and that “a serious head injury remains her main concern.”

Finishing their statement, they added:

“This will be a long and slow road to recovery over many months to come.

“It is expected that her parents Mike and Angela will remain at her bedside for the foreseeable future, and the family are currently making arrangements for Aoife’s sister Anna and brother Tim to travel to Stanford to join them.”

A group of friends of those who were injured in the tragedy have organised a fund-raiser event to help the survivors who are left with life-altering injuries.

The event will take place on July 23rd at the Academy nightclub in Dublin and includes an impressive line-up of bands.

Former Westlife star Nicky Byrne will be the MC on the night, while bands such as Jape, Vann Music, The Fontaines and Hijackers are among those confirmed.

Other acts include Heroes in Hiding, DJ Deece, Dublin Gospel Choir, Knights of Leon, Jessica Smith, Kurtis Wade, Neon Atlas and Mongoose.

For further details on the event please visit the Facebook page here.