Two online fundraising appeals for the survivors of the Berkeley balcony tragedy have raised in excess of $356,000 to help meet their medical bills.
Three young Irish woman - Aoife Beary, Hannah Waters, Clodagh Cogley – remain in a Californian rehabilitation centre where they are being treated for life-changing injuries in the wake of the accident.
Five Irish J-1 students lost their lives when an apartment complex balcony collapsed during a 21st birthday party on June 16. Those killed included Dublin natives Niccolai Schuster, Eoghan Culligan, Lorcan Murray, Eimear Walsh and Olivia Burke, as well as Olivia’s Irish-American cousin Ashley Donohoe.
Niccolai Schuster was an avid fan of Bastain Schweinsteiger, and the German footballer’s Manchester United teammates paid a moving tribute to the victims prior to their pre-season friendly against San Jose Earthquakes on Tuesday night.
Players and fans held a minute’s silence at the Avaya Stadium, around 80km from the scene of the accident, before United secured a 3-1 victory.
Separately, efforts are continuing on both sides of the Atlantic to raise money for those who survived the 40ft fall.
A gofundme account set up by the Irish Immigration Pastoral Center in San Francisco immediately after the accident has so far raised over $276,300 from more than 2,290 donors. Donations are still being made on http://www.gofundme.com/J1tragedyfund.
Of the seven students hurt the three young women suffered the most critical injuries.
It emerged this week that Aoife Beary, whose birthday the students were celebrating, continues to struggle to recognise her family and friends.
She is being treated at the Santa Clara Medical Center which specialises in rehabilitation and her cousin Eimear O’Doherty revealed that the student’s brain injury remained the "biggest concern" while she still faced a "long road" ahead.
Clodagh Cogley and Hannah Waters are also being cared for by staff at the facility.
Clodagh previously wrote on Facebook that she feared she would have to use a wheelchair for the rest of her life after she broke her spinal cord.
A gofundme account to help aimed at raising $100,000 to help meet Clodagh’s medical and rehabilitation costs has so far raised over $79,900 through donations from over 1,000 members of the public. Donations can be made on https://www.gofundme.com/clodaghcogley.
In Dublin, a tag rugby event will take place at the Donnybrook Stadium on Saturday from 11am until 6pm to raise funds for Aoife.
Teams can register or supporters can purchase tickets by visiting www.eventbrite.ie and searching for ‘Aoife Beary’.
Meanwhile, Mundy has joined the list of Irish bands and musicians playing at the Academy in Middle Abbey Street tonight in aid of the Berkeley survivors.
The gig, which is being organised by fellow students, will include Dublin Gospel Choir, The Fontaines, Jape, Daft Funk, Jessica Smith, the Knights of Leon and many more. Doors open at 7.30pm and tickets available from Ticketmaster.
