A College of California, Berkeley scholar, simply weeks from graduating, was paralyzed from the waist down after struggling a “tragic and devastating” fall at a fraternity home occasion in April.
Bandna Bhatti, 21, slipped and fell from an exterior metallic staircase on the Phi Kappa Tau home round 1 p.m. on April 19. She wasn’t seen by medical professionals till roughly seven hours later when buddies lastly known as 911, in line with KTVU.
“Our beloved sister, Bandna, only 21 years old, was just three weeks away from graduating from UC Berkeley with a degree in Data Science — a milestone she had worked so hard for — when our world was turned upside down,” her sister Sonya Bhatti wrote in a GoFundMe web page created to lift cash for the school senior’s medical care.
“We received the kind of call no family ever wants to get. Bandna had suffered a tragic and devastating fall,” Sonya added.
Bhatti plunged not less than 12 toes, touchdown on a slender passageway outdoors the frat home and placing her head on the best way down. She lay there for quarter-hour earlier than she was found by her buddies and brought contained in the fraternity home, her household informed KTVU.
However individuals on the frat home allegedly informed those that introduced her inside that they needed to go, the relations mentioned. So Bhatti’s buddies, unaware of the extent of her accidents, took her again to her close by condo.
Seven hours after she fell, 911 was lastly known as, the native station reported.
Along with the paralyzing spinal fracture, Bhatti additionally sustained different extreme accidents, in line with the GoFundMe web page.
“Including tearing of the dura with spinal fluid leakage, a scapular fracture, and a brain hematoma. She is currently hospitalized,” her sister wrote.
The horrifying accident occurred on Cal Day, an annual open home for incoming freshmen and their households.
Police are trying into the incident however aren’t commenting on the main points of the investigation.
The college, in the meantime, mentioned it’s providing assist to the scholar.
“UC Berkeley is aware of an ongoing police investigation regarding reports of a student being injured near or at a fraternity,” UC Berkeley mentioned in an announcement to PEOPLE. “Our thoughts are with the student, their family, loved ones and friends during this time. We are following our protocols to offer support to the student and their family.”
The fraternity additionally supplied its ideas.
“Our thoughts are with the individual and their loved ones during this challenging time,” Matt Arnold, the CEO of the nationwide Phi Kappa Tau group, mentioned in an announcement. “The health, safety and well-being of all individuals in our community remain our highest priority.”
The coed’s closest buddies ran a half-marathon Sunday in her honor, aiming for a $5-per-mile pledge “to raise vital funds for Bandna’s recovery.”
“Bandna is a brilliant, compassionate, and resilient young woman who has worked tirelessly toward her dreams. Now, she faces a long and difficult road ahead,” the GoFundMe reads.
Her distraught mom swore that sometime her daughter would stroll once more, in line with studies..
“She will walk,” she mentioned. “I’ll do whatever it takes.”
