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Cat in the Hat Balloon Nearly Kills Woman
27 Nov
Summary
- Cat in the Hat balloon crashed due to 40 mph winds.
- Victim Kathleen Caronna spent 24 days in a coma.
- She narrowly escaped death again when a plane crashed into her apartment.
In 1997, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City turned terrifying when gale-force winds reached 40 mph. This severe weather caused several balloons to lose control, including the massive Cat in the Hat balloon. It collided with a lamp post, sending a piece of metal plummeting into the crowd, striking Kathleen Caronna.
Caronna suffered a fractured skull and spent 24 days in a coma due to the severe head injury. The accident led to permanent brain damage, affecting her speech and memory. She subsequently filed a $395 million lawsuit against Macy's, the city, and a contractor, eventually settling for an undisclosed sum before trial.
Remarkably, Caronna faced another life-threatening incident in 2006 when a small plane crashed into her New York City apartment building. The plane's engine landed in her bedroom just minutes before she was scheduled to arrive home, underscoring a pattern of extraordinary survival.
