A 21-year-old student in the United States has survived after falling from the eighth floor of a building, in an incident that authorities are investigating as an accident.
Kristin Sargent, a senior at the University of Georgia, fell from an open window at The Rambler apartment complex in Athens, Georgia, around 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
According to authorities, the 21-year-old was on a sofa or air mattress near the window and was dancing when she lost her balance and fell out, passing through the window screen.
When police and emergency crews arrived at the scene, they found the student on the complex’s pool deck. According to authorities’ report, a metal pool chair, equipped with a cushion, appeared to have cushioned some of the impact.
Blood was found on the pillow at the scene, while one of the arms of the chair was broken by the force of the collision.
Kristin was rushed to the hospital, where she is being treated in the Intensive Care Unit for multiple injuries and fractures. Despite the severity of her injuries, authorities reported that in the first hours after the incident she was conscious, alert and able to communicate.
The 21-year-old’s father recounted the moment the family found out about the accident. “Someone called us and said, ‘Oh my God, Kristin fell really badly,'” he confessed.
The family immediately traveled from Virginia to Georgia to stay with her during her treatment in the hospital.
According to the father, the student immediately realized how lucky she was to have survived the fall. He said the girl had communicated with a friend and said, “I’m alive. I can’t believe it.”
“She is strong and will be fine,” her father said, expressing optimism about her recovery.
The incident occurred hours after the University of Georgia’s Georgia Bulldogs football team defeated the Oklahoma Sooners 41-13. According to the girl’s father, many students were celebrating the team’s victory that evening.
So far, police have not said whether alcohol or other substances played a role in the incident. Authorities are treating the incident as an accident, based on information gathered so far.