Berkeley families of balcony collapse survivors give thanks
BERKELEY (BCN) - Family members of four students from Ireland who were injured in a balcony collapse in Berkeley that killed six other people last month issued a statement Monday thanking those who have helped them since the incident.
The balcony outside a fourth-floor apartment at the Library Gardens complex at 2020 Kittredge St. collapsed when a large group of people gathered on it during a party at 12:41 a.m. on June 16.
Of the six people killed, five were Irish nationals -- Olivia Burke, Eoghan Culligan, Niccolai Schuster, Lorcan Miller and Eimear Walsh.
The sixth victim was 22-year-old Rohnert Park resident Ashley Donohoe.
Seven other people were injured in the collapse but survived.
Family members of four of them, Aoife Beary, Clodagh Cogley, Hannah Waters and Niall Murray, said in a statement, "As traumatic and difficult as the past five weeks have been for Aoife, Clodagh, Hannah and Niall, our constant thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families and friends of Eimear Walsh, Ashley Donohue, Olivia Burke, Niccolai Schuster, Lorcan Miller and Eoghan Culligan. May they rest in peace."
The families said, "We are also very mindful of the many friends who were there in Berkeley that terrible night, some of whom were also seriously injured and others who responded so tenderly to the needs of our children at the scene and in the immediate horrific aftermath. They could never have imagined such a tragic end to their J1 (summer program) experience."
The families said, "Others stayed on to continue to help their injured friends. We are so grateful for what they have done and for what they are continuing to do. They too will take time to heal."
In addition, the family members thanked Berkeley police and fire department staff, ambulance paramedics, the people of Berkeley and surrounding areas, Philip Grant and his staff at the Irish Consulate in San Francisco and the Irish Immigration Pastoral Centre in San Francisco.
The family members also thanked Aer Lingus for offering free flights to and from San Francisco since the accident during their busy peak season.
The family members additionally thanked the Bay Area hospitals where the surviving victims have been treated: Highland Hospital in Oakland, Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley, California Pacific Medical Center and UCSF Medical Center in San Francisco and Stanford Hospital.
They said Beary, Cogley, Waters and Murray "are now continuing their long treatment and recovery under the care of the superb doctors, nurses, therapists and other staff and management at the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center."
The family members said, "We obviously share everyone's wish for speedy recoveries but we have found that every new week brings more complexity and that the road to recovery is far from straight, even in the very best of clinical environments."
They said, "We hope that our children will be able to make their way home in the coming weeks and months when they are individually ready and sufficiently strong enough to do so."
Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O'Malley said last month that her office is conducting a criminal investigation into the balcony collapse.