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Telangana student in coma after fall at Chicago transit station
Her parents in India are seeking to reach the United States as she remains unconscious in intensive care.
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Malvika Choudhary - Wed, 10, Jun 2026
- 14:40 EDT
- 66
Spandana Lagishetti / GoFundMe
A 23-year-old Indian graduate student from Telangana remains in critical condition after suffering a nearly 25-foot fall at a Chicago-area transit station.
Spandana Lagishetti, a master's student at Elmhurst University in Illinois, has been in the Intensive Care Unit at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital since sustaining multiple life-threatening injuries in a nearly 25-foot fall from a staircase connected to Chicago's elevated "L" transit system.
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Originally from Nagarjuna Colony in Naspur in Telangana's Mancherial district, Lagishetti moved to the United States in early 2025 to pursue a master's degree at Elmhurst University. She had previously completed her B.Tech degree in Chennai and was reportedly only a few months away from graduation.
"Today, instead of attending classes, pursuing her education, and working toward her dreams, Spandana is fighting the biggest battle of her life from a hospital bed," family friend Sai Shiva Jaligapu wrote in a GoFundMe campaign launched on behalf of the family.
According to information shared by her family and supporters on the fundraising page, Lagishetti suffered traumatic brain injuries, including bleeding around the brain, severe brain bruising, skull fractures, and injuries to blood vessels supplying the brain.
She also sustained multiple rib fractures that caused both lungs to partially collapse, requiring emergency chest tube placement.
The impact also caused injuries to her liver and spleen, internal bleeding, fractures throughout her spine and lower back, and multiple pelvic fractures. She remains unconscious while receiving intensive medical care.
The accident has placed a significant financial burden on her family. Organizers of the fundraiser said her medical expenses are not covered by insurance and that the cost of critical care continues to rise.
Her parents remain in Telangana and are reportedly facing financial and travel challenges in reaching the United States. The family has sought assistance from government officials to facilitate emergency travel arrangements.
Meanwhile, the GoFundMe campaign had raised more than $268,000 from over 6,300 donations as of June 10, reaching about 68 percent of its $400,000 goal. Organizers said the funds will be used to cover critical medical treatment, ICU care, rehabilitation expenses, and travel and accommodation costs for her parents as she continues to receive treatment.
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