Australian punk rockers Trophy Eyes are devastated after a fan sustained a severe spinal cord injury during their concert in Buffalo, New York, the Metro reported. 24-year-old Bird Piche was injured on Tuesday when lead singer John Floreani crowd-surfed into the mosh pit at Mohawk Place, a venue with a policy against both stage-diving and moshing.
The concert was abruptly halted following the accident, reportedly caught on video. Mr Floreani joined Piche and her family on their way to the hospital.
In a statement posted on X, the band said they were 'truly heartbroken' and added, "The situation has shaken us all to our core, and we ask for patience while we look to help Bird navigate this difficult time."
To aid Bird Piche's recovery and rehabilitation after extensive surgery, a GoFundMe page has been established. Trophy Eyes, demonstrating their support, have donated $5,000 to the cause.
According to Reddit user wmsiegner5, who claims to have witnessed the incident two minutes into the concert's opening song last week, the accident occurred early in the performance.
They added, "A girl in the middle of the crowd ended up getting seriously injured after this stage dive.
"I left immediately once I saw the state she was in, I heard the show was cancelled once the ambulance showed up.
"Really hoping for the best possible outcome for that fan."
Another Reddit user said that they were also at the gig and they were stood right beside the fan when the accident happened.
On Reddit, they said, "My partner and I were directly beside her. As soon as we heard her say she was scared and couldn't move we knew it wasn't good. John was clearly devastated."
In a statement to Metro, Buffalo's Mohawk Place's manager Mike Thor said the venue has a 'very strict' no stage-diving or crowd-surfing policy.
Thor continued, "There are signs posted everywhere in the venue and notice was included in the emails for this show with the show's promoter and the band themselves.
"Our policy and practised procedure is a full show stop for any stage diving which was put into place for this incident.
"Currently we are working to put together a charity show to help the injured party with their GoFundMe."
Trophy Eyes in a statement posted on X said, "As the result of a tragic accident on the night of April 30, a Trophy Eyes fan was injured at our Buffalo NY show.
https://t.co/mzqqCkgidR pic.twitter.com/vY9OPl6CcJ
— Trophy Eyes (@trophyeyesmusic) May 3, 2024
"We elected to immediately shut down the show as John accompanied them to the hospital with their family.
"Out of respect for the family, we have refrained from speaking about this publicly so far, but with the blessing of their family we are now able to say how truly heartbroken we are to be here now.
"Our friend, Bird, is now in recovery but still has a long road ahead for them. A GoFundMe has been set up by their family, you can donate below.
"The situation has shaken us all to our core, and we ask for patience while we look to help Bird navigate this difficult time. Please keep Bird in your thoughts.
"We remain in close contact with them and will expand on this as new news arrives. Yours faithfully, Trophy Eyes."
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