Page 1 of 1

College student, 19, severely injured in 'urban exploration' accident

Posted: Sun Oct 12, 2025 6:22 pm
by skittles
https://bringmethenews.com/minnesota-ne ... n-accident

10/8/2025 College student, 19, severely injured in 'urban exploration' accident

The student fell from six stories while exploring an abandoned building in Minneapolis.

A 19-year-old college student suffered severe injuries in a fall as she explored an abandoned building Minneapolis.

Shannon Johnson launched a GoFundMe page to help her niece, Carly, with medical expenses as she recovers in the ICU with severe head and brain injuries. She writes Carly fell from six stories from the building on Sunday, Sept. 28.

“Carly was just starting her sophomore year in college. She has always been so passionate about helping others,” said Johnson.

“She is a huge animal lover and is truly one of the kindest, sweetest people you could ever meet. We are absolutely devastated by this tragic accident.”

Johnson’s goal is to raise $20,000 through the fundraiser, to help cover living and medical expenses not covered by insurance.

On Monday, Carly had her intubation tube removed, but is still on a ventilator.

Johnson adds she has been in a coma since the accident, but is starting to wiggle her fingers and toes on command.

As of Wednesday morning, the GoFundMe page has raised more than $4,400.

Urban exploring has been popular for years in Minneapolis, but it does not come without major safety risks.

In recent months, KSTP reports Minneapolis residents and city council member Michael Rainville expressed concerns about urban explorers climbing roofs in the Mill District.

Re: College student, 19, severely injured in 'urban exploration' accident

Posted: Sun Oct 12, 2025 7:46 pm
by skittles
Linking and quoting the GoFundMe:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-a-mo ... c-accident
I wish I wasn’t writing something like this. A few days ago, my niece - just 19 years old, suffered a terrible accident. She fell six stories and is now in the ICU with severe head and brain injuries. She is fighting hard, but her recovery will be long and uncertain.

Carly was just starting her sophomore year in college. She has always been so passionate about helping others. She is a huge animal lover and is truly one of the kindest, sweetest people you could ever meet. We are absolutely devastated by this tragic accident.

My sister has been in the ICU supporting her daughter every step of the way. As you can imagine, she cannot work during this time. She is her daughter’s biggest advocate and source of strength.

We are setting up this fundraiser to help support her and my niece during this unimaginable time.

Our goal is $20,000. This would help cover living and medical expenses not covered by insurance so she can dedicate her time and energy to her daughter’s recovery without added stress.

Carly has always dreamed of a career where she can care for others and make a difference every day. This accident has put that dream on hold, and our hope is that, with all of our support, she can get back to the path she’s worked so hard to pursue.

If you are able, please consider donating or sharing this. Any amount will make a difference and allow my sister to focus on what matters most - being there for her daughter’s healing.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for your love, prayers, and generosity.

Re: College student, 19, severely injured in 'urban exploration' accident

Posted: Sun Oct 12, 2025 7:49 pm
by skittles
Updates posted to the GoFundMe (which has reached almost $5k):

October 7th:
Carly had her intubation tube removed yesterday and had it replaced with a trachiostomy to work with the ventilator to assist her breathing. She also had a feeding tube button placed in her abdomen. Both of these procedures are the next steps on her road to recovery.

Carly has not fully woken up since the accident, but she is starting to wiggle her fingers and toes on command.

We know our Carly girl is in there - resting and recovering and fighting!!
October 11th:
More positive news! Yesterday, after 13 days in the Neuro ICU, Carly was moved to a long term acute care room. Going forward her care will focus on physical, occupational, and respiratory therapies as well as weaning her from the ventilator.

Our Carly girl is so strong - she is responding more each and every day! Thank you to everyone for their thoughts, prayers, and support.

Re: College student, 19, severely injured in 'urban exploration' accident

Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2025 4:34 am
by skittles
https://www.kare11.com/article/news/loc ... a374620f28

10/13/2025 Family of injured urban explorer warns of dangers

Carly Barnes, 19, suffered brain injuries after falling six stories from an abandoned grain bin at the Upper Harbor Terminal in north Minneapolis.

MINNEAPOLIS — Before the accident, the family of Carly Barnes knew nothing about urban exploring.

"We had never heard of it before. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined that she would be climbing in a silo," said Barnes's aunt Shannon Johnson.

But after the 19-year-old fell six stories and suffered severe brain injuries, Barnes's family wants to make sure other teens and other parents know exactly what potential dangers exist.

"I'm her aunt, and I know it's the worst thing that's ever happened to me, so I can't even imagine what it's like for a mother," Johnson said.

Johnson says her niece, Barnes, who's like a second daughter to her, was exploring at night high within the grain bins at the Upper Harbor Terminal along the Mississippi River in north Minneapolis.

It's a spot well-known among Twin Cities urban explorers, nicknamed on social media accounts "Alien City."

"There was a gap in that platform and she didn't see it, and while her friends may have seen it because they avoided it, she didn't. And she stepped right into the gap and fell," Johnson said.

Shannon feels fortunate Barnes survived, but her recovery will be long and uncertain. Her family has set up a GoFundMe page.

"The doctors are telling us her recovery is probably going to be at least a year," Johnson said.

Barnes's family hopes her story will help others think twice.

"Going into an abandoned building, you don't know what you're going to get. Even if 100 people have gone in before you, you could be the one person who has an accident and it changes your whole life," Johnson said.