Woman Hurt In North End Chimney Collapse Might Not Walk Again, Family Says

BOSTON (CBS) – The young woman who was seriously hurt in a chimney collapse in the North End last week might not walk again, according to her family.

Erin Field, 21, of Sidney, Maine, was in a hammock on the roof of an apartment building on Charter Street July 11 when the chimney the hammock was tied to collapsed onto her.

"She luckily had her boyfriend, Jack with her who lifted the chimney off of her and called her brother Todd who called 911 and held her still and calm until the rescue team came," Field's family wrote on their GoFundMe page.

Erin was rushed to Massachusetts General Hospital with injuries to her ribs, lungs, and her c6 vertebrae.

"She has lost all feeling in her legs, and most feeling in her arms. She is currently in the ICU and is predicted to spend at least 2 or 3 weeks at the hospital and then move to a rehabilitation center for 2 months minimum where she will start to work on regaining the use of her arms and hands," the family wrote.

"With this type of injury it is very rare that Erin will be able to have use of her legs again. Of course we are staying as positive as we can, but, for lack of a better term, it would be a miracle if she can walk again. She also will most likely not regain the usage of her fingers, making her quadriplegic."

Field was about to enter her senior year at Goucher College in Maryland, where she was going to spend the fall semester studying abroad in London.

Her sister said their mother will have to close the family's hair salon in Maine, "because she needs to give all her strength and love to Erin."

Anyone who wishes to donate can visit the family's GoFundMe page.