#Survivor of 2015 Berkeley balcony collapse dies at age 27

Aoife Beary, who was severely injured in the tragic 2015 Berkeley balcony collapse that killed six people, died in Ireland at the age of 27 on New Year’s Day after suffering a stroke.

The Dublin native was one of six other students who were left with life-changing injuries after a fourth floor balcony gave way at Beary’s 21st birthday celebration in June 2015. Five of those killed were Irish nationals and the other Irish-American, all 21 years old.

Beary suffered brain trauma, broken bones, organ lacerations  and underwent open heart surgery as a result of her fall, according to The Irish Times. She underwent months of treatment in California and Ireland in the following months and said she had lost much of her independence from her injuries.

She suffered a stroke on Wednesday and reportedly died “peacefully” at Beaumont Hospital in Dublin Saturday, according to her death notice.

Beary was at the University College of Dublin at the time of the collapse pursuing a degree in pharmacology. UCD’s Dean of Science, Professor Joe Carthy remembered Beary as a brave student on Sunday.

“Aoife dealt with the devastating impact of her accident with great bravery and fortitude. She was awarded a BSc in Pharmacology in 2016. She will be greatly missed by her family and wide circle of friends,” he wrote in a statement. “I know Aoife’s passing will rekindle memories of the six students who died in the Berkeley accident in June 2015 and our thoughts are with their families too.”

The collapse was determined to be the result of rotted wooden beams at the Library Garden complex that were not caulked and sealed properly when they were constructed, and subsequently damaged by moisture as a result. The building was less than a decade old, built in 2007.

The balcony was constructed by Segue Construction, which had a history of lawsuits involving allegations of dry rot and substandard balconies at condo and apartment projects in the Bay Area.

In the years after the collapse, Beary lobbied in California to force building contractors to release safety records, site crimes and settlements to state building regulators, even testifying before state congress in 2016, according to The Irish Times.

In her testimony, she said she had been longtime friends with those who had died in the accident and had travelled extensively across the globe with them together.

“Now my birthday will always be their anniversary,” she told legislators.

Beary is survived by her parents Mike and Angela, her younger brother Tim, her younger sister Anna, and other relatives.