NEW YORK, Dec. 23 -- A woman injured when a giant Cat in the Hat balloon went out of control at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade has come out of a coma after nearly a month. A spokeswoman at St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital says 34-year-old Kathy Caronna, who underwent surgery to clear a blood clot on her brain after the accident on Nov. 27, is in serious but stable condition.
Caronna, a resident of Manhattan, was injured after the top of a light pole fell on her during the 71st annual parade, which city officials say was attended by about 1 million people. One of the giant balloons, a traditional feature of the parade, almost came to life in winds gusting up to 43 miles per hour, knocking down the pole near Central Park. Caronna was one of two people hospitalized following the accident. The other, 44-year-old Maria Clohessy, suffered a concussion and broken wrist but was released the same day. Two other people suffered less serious injuries. Despite the Cat in the Hat's crash, the balloon wasn't removed from the parade, and the procession didn't stop. ---
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