Parents say UD student hit by train will recover

An 18-year-old University of Dayton student who was struck by a train in London remains hospitalized, but is expected to make a full recovery, according to a statement issued by her parents.

Devon Dubiel was critically hurt and suffered head injuries when she was struck by a subway train last Thursday. She was participating in a study abroad program at the time of the incident.

“We would like to thank the UD community for your prayers and concern for our daughter Devon following an accident that occurred on July 16 in London, England. She remains hospitalized, but is expected to make a full recovery,” said Tom and Deanna Dubiel in a statement provided by UD on Wednesday.

McKenna Stewart, who graduated from the same high school in Medina, Ohio, as Dubiel, was in London when the incident occurred. Stewart posted on a social media outlet that she and her family stayed at the hospital until Dubiel’s mother arrived.

UD officials say Dubiel is expected to return to the U.S. in several weeks.

Dubiel graduated in the top 10 percent of the Highland High School’s 2014 class, and enrolled at UD as an international studies major.

“I don’t know her personally that well, just from when I worked with her in high school, she was always such a sweetheart and always so happy, helpful and positive,” Samantha Elliott told this newspaper in a Twitter conversation.

She received Dean’s list honors in both the fall and spring semesters at UD. According to the institution’s website, she was a student worker at the Center for International Programs at UD.

British Transport Police, the London Ambulance Service and the London Fire Brigade were called to the London Underground railway station last week after receiving reports that a person had been struck by a train, according to telegraph.co.uk.

London police are treating the incident as a accident.

The student was listed as “critical” on Monday, according to a report in The Independent.

Witnesses told news outlets in London that the young woman leaned over the platform to look at mice running across the tracks when the accident occurred.

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