The family of a critically injured teenager who fell off a roof in Dunedin’s student quarter are keeping a bedside vigil in hospital.
Talented rugby player Jayden Broome, 19, was on the roof of a two-storey Castle St property taking pictures with friends on Monday night, when he slid down the roof and fell to the pavement.
Darren Broome told the Otago Daily Times yesterday he had not left his son’s bedside since hearing of the accident.
Mr Broome said his son had been put into a medically induced coma in Christchurch Hospital.
He said the family had been left ‘‘traumatised’’.
‘‘We don’t really know what’s going to [happen],’’ he said.
‘‘Until it’s further down the track — you don’t really know until [you do].’’
Mr Broome said his son was in a stable condition in the coma.
The University of Otago student had just returned from Christchurch after captaining the Southland under-19 team in a tournament.
After returning to Dunedin on Monday, the team had gone to a flat, known as ‘‘Big Red’’, and started drinking, a friend told the Otago Daily Times.
Most of the people who were at the gathering stayed inside, while a few went to the roof to take photos.
Jayden played as a loose forward for University A in the Dunedin Premier Rugby competition this season and played for the Southland Stags in July in a preseason game.
He also made the New Zealand under-18 team last year while at Māruawai College in Gore.
Hato Hone St John and police were called to the accident and Jayden was transported to Dunedin Hospital in a critical condition.
Police inquiries into the incident are ongoing.
University of Otago Rugby Football Club described Jayden as a “proud member of our community” in a Facebook post.
“He is a great man with a huge heart. We pray for him and his family and trust his fight and heart gets him through.”
Club spokesperson Leighton Cassidy said rugby development officer Aaron Withy had met with players to support those players in the teams affected.
The university was also providing support to Jayden, his whanau and students affected.
A Givealittle page has been set up to support Jayden’s family.