Close X
Wednesday, December 4, 2024
ADVT 
National

Lucila Munaretto, Argentinian Ballerina, In Coma After Roller-Skating Accident In Vancouver

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 18 Aug, 2015 12:15 PM
    VANCOUVER — Supporters are hoping for a miraculous recovery after an Argentinian ballerina whose dramatic style earned her a scholarship to a dance school in Vancouver suffered a devastating head injury.
     
    RCMP say Lucila Munaretto, 21, missed a stop sign and struck a vehicle on Thursday while roller-skating on a road in North Vancouver.
     
    Pacific Dance Arts artistic director Yaming Li said the dancer had injured her foot prior to the accident and was on her way to visit a friend.
     
    Li said he noticed the shy young dancer at a school in Brazil three years ago and offered her a scholarship that brought her to Vancouver in the fall of 2012.
     
    "She does not come from an affluent family in Brazil but I did see her talent so I wanted her to continue," he said Monday. "I thought if she came to Canada she might have some potential."
     
    Li said Munaretto's family had moved to Brazil from Argentina 10 years ago.
     
    Earlier this summer, Munaretto was invited to a six-week ballet program in Toronto and earlier played the role of Gretel in a production of "Hansel and Gretel" in Regina.
     
    "She's a very dramatic and beautiful actor on stage," he said.
     
    "She had such a good opportunity and almost made it to her dreams. We want to make all our efforts to see her recover as much as possible."
     
    Li said he asked about 20 dancers to record encouraging messages for Munaretto and that he put them on a CD that was played by her bedside.
     
     
    "We had messages from Europe, many of them from Brazil, and also from local Canadians."
     
    Li said Munaretto was seen moving her hand and foot in response to the voices and music played from a production of "Cinderella," her most recent performance, and from Chopin, from a previous show.
     
    "Last night, doctors were very, very impressed with the improvement. They were shocked."
     
    The school has started a Go Fund Me campaign to pay for her rehabilitation, he said.
     
    "It's a really long journey and I feel really, really sad. I'm just hoping for miracles though I feel she is not going to be fully recovered, dancer-wise."
     
    Laura Lopez, a volunteer who helps foreign students at the dance school with housing arrangements and visa applications, said Munaretto's mother arrived from Brazil on Sunday night and has been telling the dancer stories from her childhood.
     
    "This morning she was improving a lot. She's exceeding expectations, considering her injuries." 

    MORE National ARTICLES

    Diet Pepsi Gets Rid Of Aspartame In U.S., But No Change In Store In Canada

    Diet Pepsi Gets Rid Of Aspartame In U.S., But No Change In Store In Canada
    NEW YORK — A revamped Diet Pepsi without aspartame is popping up on store shelves in the U.S. So will people start flocking back to the soda?

    Diet Pepsi Gets Rid Of Aspartame In U.S., But No Change In Store In Canada

    U.S. Senator Plans Legislation Dealing With Proposed OPG Nuclear Waste Dump

    U.S. Senator Plans Legislation Dealing With Proposed OPG Nuclear Waste Dump
    DETROIT — A U.S. senator plans to introduce legislation related to a planned Canadian nuclear waste disposal facility near Lake Huron.

    U.S. Senator Plans Legislation Dealing With Proposed OPG Nuclear Waste Dump

    Alliance Pipeline: Could Take Several Days To Burn Off Hydrogen Sulphide Gas

    Alliance Pipeline: Could Take Several Days To Burn Off Hydrogen Sulphide Gas
    The operator of a major Canada-U.S. natural gas pipeline that has been shut down since Friday says it could take several days to burn off hazardous gas that mistakenly got into its system.

    Alliance Pipeline: Could Take Several Days To Burn Off Hydrogen Sulphide Gas

    Telus Hands CEO's Job Back To Entwistle, Says Natale Leaving By Year-End

    The sudden change in leadership announced early Monday is being attributed to Natale's reluctance to move his family to Western Canada, where Telus has its headquarters and the core of its business.

    Telus Hands CEO's Job Back To Entwistle, Says Natale Leaving By Year-End

    Vancouver Police Investigate Fatal Stabbing In Downtown Eastside

    Vancouver Police Investigate Fatal Stabbing In Downtown Eastside
    Officers responded just after 6 p.m. to a report of a stabbing in the area of East Hastings Street and Main Street.

    Vancouver Police Investigate Fatal Stabbing In Downtown Eastside

    B.C. Company's Agile Robots Crawling Where Humans Can't

    B.C. Company's Agile Robots Crawling Where Humans Can't
    What started as a fun project for two techies on Vancouver Island more than 25 years ago has now become an industry leader in robotic crawlers.

    B.C. Company's Agile Robots Crawling Where Humans Can't