Woman Crushed, Suffers Broken Back While Attending Kenny Chesney Concert
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- A mother of three has a broken back after attending Saturday night's Kenny Chesney concert at Heinz Field.
"The next thing I know something just came down and it crushed me," said Joelene Hess, from Freeport. "It crushed my entire body."
They were in section 517, when her family says a tall, large man standing behind them fell onto Hess and then rolled down several more rows of people.
"I went forward, too, and I sat up 'My head hurts!' Well, the next thing I knew my mom grabbed me and said, 'I can't breathe! I can't breathe!'" said Jessica Hudak, Hess' daughter.
"I couldn't sit up. My back hurt so bad," said Hess.
Her family got a paramedic, and Hess was taken to Allegheny General Hospital. She has to wear a brace for weeks, can't work and may require surgery.
"It leaves me in a very, very bad position," said Hess. "I have three kids. I'm a single mom."
Her niece, Erin Pollock, approached the man after Hess was injured, and she believes he had been drinking.
"He just kept saying, 'I was dancing, and I fell. It was an accident! It was an accident!' but then he also said, 'You know, you won't do anything. You can't do anything'" said Pollock. "Swearing and all that stuff came with it."
Hess is hoping the man comes forward.
"That's not fair that he can says he's not responsible and walk away from it, and I've been laying in here for two days now," Hess said.
Jim Sacco, the director of stadium management, says they can't have security guards stationed in every single section.
He says they'd like to assist the family, but can't do a lot without the man's name.
Hess' nieces say they told an usher there was trouble, hoping he would get security, but once they realized their aunt was hurt, they concentrated on getting her help.
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