Vancouver comic left paralyzed
Serious accident happened on the set of ‘Batwoman’
VANCOUVER – A Vancouver comedian may never walk again after a serious accident last week on the set of ‘The CW’s Batwoman’.
Amanda Smith, 30, was working as a production assistant beneath the Georgia Viaduct Wednesday when the bucket of a telehandler was lowered onto her head during filming of the drama.
Smith had her back to the forklift-style machine, also known as a boom lift, and was unable to hear the machine over the sound of traffic from the viaduct above, explained friend and colleague Tyler Mazzucco.
“She was literally just sitting there and it came down on top of her,” he said.
Smith suffered serious spinal injuries, including burst vertebrae, and was rushed to Vancouver General Hospital for emergency spinal surgery.
Smith can no longer feel anything from the waist down, although Mazzucco said his friend is in good spirits.
Friends and family are hopeful that with time and rehabilitation, Smith may one day regain sensation in her legs. Smith will remain in hospital for about a month before being transferred to the GF Strong Rehabilitation Clinic’s spinal cord injury program.
On Friday, Mazzucco launched the Amanda Smith Rehabilitation Fund , hoping to raise $50,000 on his friend’s behalf.
“Amanda will be unable to work for the foreseeable future and she needs our help to make ends meet until she settles,” Mazzucco wrote. “We do not want her to have to worry about finances as she goes through these uncertain times.”
The fundraiser is already over halfway to its goal with $26,500 raised in about 24 hours as word spread among Smith’s film connections and fellow stand-up comedians.
“Vancouver comedy, one of ours has had a devastating accident and needs some help,” tweeted local comic Katie-Ellen Humphries .
Vancouver’s film industry has almost completely shut down due to COVID-19 concerns.