Berkeley balcony collapse: Irish student faces 'tough ordeal' in recovery

Jack Halpin suffered spinal and internal injuries, and broken bones in the balcony collapse in Berkeley

An Irish student who suffered serious injuries in a balcony collapse in the United States faces a "very tough ordeal in the months ahead", it has emerged.

Six people died and several others were hospitalised in the incident in Berkeley, California on 16 June.

Jack Halpin, 21, suffered spinal and internal injuries, and broken bones.

He is seen smiling from his hospital bed in a photograph released by the Judes For Jack website.

A statement of the website said: "When his doctors have done all they can for him, a very long and complicated course of rehabilitation begins, involving, among other things, complex and intensive physiotherapy."

It added that there will "unavoidably have to be modifications to Jack's home".

Mr Halpin, from Dublin, had been in California after finishing his commerce degree at University College Dublin when he fell from the fourth-floor balcony during a 21st birthday party.

Improved

Clodagh Cogley, who also suffered serious injuries, had previously thanked Mr Halpin after he had broken her fall when it gave way.

In a Facebook post, she revealed she had broken her spinal cord, shoulder, knee and five ribs. She remains in hospital.

On Thursday, it was reported that another of the students injured in the collapse had been taken off the critical list.

Twenty-one-year-old Aoife Beary's condition has improved over recent days following successful heart surgery, a message on a Facebook page set up in support of her said.

Conor Flynn remains in the San Francisco area as he is not yet allowed to fly home, while Sean Fahey has returned to Ireland after treatment.

Niall Murray and Hannah Waters are both still receiving treatment for their injuries.

Five 21-year-old Irish students - Eoghan Culligan, Eimear Walsh, Niccolai Schuster, Olivia Burke, Lorcán Miller - and Ashley Donohoe, a 22-year-old Irish-American, died in the incident.