Penn State Cheerleader Critical After Fall
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File photo. Hemera/Thinkstock(UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.) — The Penn State community is rallying around a cheerleader who suffered a traumatic brain injury after falling five stories from an apartment building.
Paige Raque, 19, fell 39 feet out of the window of an off-campus apartment building on Saturday, State College police said.
The fall appears to be accidental, authorities said, but they are investigating.
Raque’s family is taking her recovery day by day, said Randy Jepson, the Penn State men’s gymnastics coach and family spokesperson.
“[On Tuesday] she had a busy day with some movement and could open her eyes,” he said. “Today she was much more sedate. The doctor said she’s resting today.”
Jepson said he couldn’t “speculate on the details” of how Raque fell.
Raque, who is from Louisville, Ky., attends Penn State University with her older brother, Parker, who is captain of the men’s gymnastics team.
“I just know that God is going to heal my sister/bestfriend in due time,” Parker tweeted. “He loves his children and is the almighty healer, she’s in Gods hands.”
At a press conference on Tuesday, Penn State football head coach Bill O’Brien said he planned to call the Raque family.
“My heart goes out to Paige and her family and I feel terrible about that,” O’Brien said. “When I get back over there I’ll make some calls and make sure that their family understands.”
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