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Teen who fell from Hotel Colorado balcony regains consciousness but condition still ‘extremely critical,’ her mom says

Glenwood Springs Post Independent
Lilly Lawrence Benallou and daughter, Amber, snapped this photo after they arrived in Glenwood Springs on Monday.
Lilly Lawrence Benallou

Lily Lawrence Benallou wants your continued prayers.

Her 16-year-old daughter Amber has defied medical expectations since falling Tuesday morning from a fourth-floor balcony of the Hotel Colorado.

Benallou said that when she arrived at Denver Health, where Amber was flown for care, “I was informed that it was very unlikely she would live through the next 24 hours.

“Twenty-four hours has rolled over five times and she’s still with me, but her condition is extremely critical,” the mother told the Post Independent on Sunday by Facebook message.

On Saturday, Benallou wrote, “miraculously she quite suddenly gained consciousness from her coma. Her situation was looking up! She was doing so well, they expected today she may even begin breathing on her own.”

However, Amber developed a lung infection overnight and had to undergo a fifth surgery on Sunday. Doctors removed a tooth that was lodged in the girl’s lung and told Benallou that pneumonia had caused the girl’s high fever.



There are very few parts of her body that have not been seriously injured,” Benallou said, and more surgeries are ahead.

I was overwhelmed and confused by all the injuries that were told to me, so I asked for a written list,” Benallou wrote. “That list fills two pages.”

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Benallou and her daughter live in Montrose with Amber’s brother Andrew. Mom and daughter took the California Zephyr to Glenwood on Monday for a leaf-peeping getaway.

When Amber fell Tuesday, among those coming to her aid was Brandon Murphy of Denver, a former Army combat medic.

He told the Post Independent last week he was amazed the girl was still breathing.

“I ran my hand softly down her back looking for any spinal injury and amazingly didn’t feel anything,” he said.

When he checked her pupils, however, he said their differing size was a sign of bad head trauma.

Benallou has been posting updates on the Facebook Montrose Message Board community group, gaining numerous messages of prayer and support.

She said she was happy to hear that people from Glenwood had joined the prayers.

“Though I’m overwhelmed, I do still believe it’s the power of prayer from many caring people that will pull Amber through this and take her all the way to 100 percent recovery of body, mind and spirit,” Benallou wrote to the Post Independent.


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