Trophy Eyes Support Fan Who Suffered Spinal Injury After Stagediving Accident

Australian punk/emo outfit Trophy Eyes have addressed a stage diving incident they’re “heartbroken” by after a fan required spinal surgery.

Last week (30 April), singer John Floreani allegedly stage dived into the crowd at Buffalo, New York’s Mohawk Place, a venue with strict guidelines against stage diving and crowd surfing. One fan, Bird Piché, experienced severe injuries following Floreani’s dive into the audience and needed emergency surgery.

Trophy Eyes posted a statement on social media over the weekend (4 May) addressing the incident and linking to a GoFundMe created by Piché’s mother’s best friend.

“As the result of a tragic accident on the night of April 30th, a Trophy Eyes fan was injured at our Buffalo NY show,” the band wrote. “We elected to immediately shut down the show as John accompanied them to the hospital with their family.”

The statement continued, “Out of respect for the family, we have refrained from speaking about this publicly so far, but with the blessing of their family we are now able to say how truly heartbroken we are to be here now. Our friend, Bird, is now in recovery, but still has a long road ahead for them. A GoFundMe has been set up by their family, you can donate below.

“This situation has shaken us all to our core, and we ask for patience while we look to help Bird navigate this difficult time,” the band added, asking supporters to keep Piché in their thoughts. “We remain in close contact with them and will expand on this as new news arrives.”

The GoFundMe states that Piché has suffered a “catastrophic spinal cord injury” due to the stage diving incident. The statement continued, “It is still too early to know what her prognosis is but after leaving the hospital she will need to go to a rehab facility. She will obviously not be able to work during this time.”

Trophy Eyes donated $5,000 USD ($7,558 AUD) to the GoFundMe.

Last month, Trophy Eyes announced their largest-ever Australian tour with support from the UK’s Boston Manor and fellow Aussies Towns. The tour arrives after the band released their fourth album, Suicide & Sunshine, last year.

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— Trophy Eyes (@trophyeyesmusic) May 3, 2024