A Reavis High School senior is “still shaken up pretty bad,” from his fall almost 2 weeks ago through a grate outside Grant Hall, his lawyer said.

Nello Gamberdino said the student fell 15 to 20 feet down through the grate when he stepped on it outside of Grant North on March 27. amberdino declined to release the name of his client at this time.

 

The student, who has been admitted to NIU as a freshman for the fall semester, spent nearly an hour trapped before he could be rescued, Gamberdino said.

The student was taken to Kishwaukee Community Hospital and treated for cuts, bruises, hypothermia and an injury to his knee. He was released later that night, Gamberdino said.

The student is on crutches, and his knee remains too badly swollen for doctors to take an MRI to determine the nature of his injury, Gamberdino said.

The student was on campus to visit friends. After attending Grant Sunday Brunch, they were smoking, walking and talking outside of Grant North. When the student stepped on the grate while walking, it collapsed in two. His friends were able to call the police, Gamberdino said.

“Obviously something was wrong for this to happen, whether it was some type of negligence issue or [it was] damaged to a point where it would do that,” Gamberdino said. “Thank God it wasn’t a little kid, an elderly person or a pregnant woman.”

Brad Hoey, team leader of Media Relations and Internal Communications, said finance and facilities and grounds personnel are investigating that grate and others on campus to make sure they are structurally sound.

“The university is investigating this area and other areas similar to it to make sure this incident does not happen again,” Hoey said. “…That effort is ongoing”

Hoey said the grates are used as air intake for HVAC heating and ventilation for residence halls. He said the grates are located in different locations across campus.

Gamberdino said he is also in the process of investigation of the incident. He said he has not talked with NIU.

“I don’t know if there will be any legal action at all,” he said.

NIU Police declined to comment on the case because it is still pending.