Balcony collapse student: I feel quite guilty and awful to be alive today

An Irish college student injured in a balcony collapse in California has said he feels guilty to have survived when six other young people died. Niall Murray has spoken for the first time at a news conference in San Jose in a wheelchair and with a doctor by his side. He thanked medical staff and diplomatic officials for their help, and spoke of his hopes of soon returning home to Ireland and visiting the families of those who died. “To think of our friends who aren’t here anymore. To our friends: we miss you, we will always miss you. We’ll never forget you. And some day I’ll look forward to seeing you all again,” the 21-year-old said.

To the families, the six families back home, I’m looking forward to getting to see you and to spend time with you.

Niall Murray

He recalled the moment the balcony snapped off an apartment building in Berkeley during a birthday celebration in June sending 13 students plunging five floors to the street. "I remember the night. The only thing I don’t remember is how I hit the ground, exactly… I remember waking up in the emergency room and some of my friends were there,“ said Mr Murray. Five of the six students who died were Irish nationals. Eoghan Culligan, Eimear Walsh, Olivia Burke, Niccolai Schuster and Lorcan Miller were working in the San Francisco Bay Area for the summer. The sixth, Ashley Donohoe, was an Irish-American from California. Prosecutors have opened a criminal investigation into the collapse but have not named a possible target.

I feel quite guilty and awful to be alive today. I’m not sure why I made it.

Niall Murray

Americas balcony student