The Penn State student who fell from his second-floor downtown apartment balcony over a year ago is recovering from a successful surgery last month that attempted to quell symptoms of quadriplegia, his lawyer said.

Cory Wincek, 21, fell 16 feet after the balcony gave way outside his University Terrace apartment, 924 Bellaire Ave., on March 31, 2006. He was paralyzed from the waist down by the fall and is suing the owners of the building for negligence.

Wincek's lawyer, Robert Englert of the Philadelphia law firm Kline & Specter, said that about a month ago, Wincek had begun experiencing weakness in his left hand and a tingling sensation in his right arm -- signs that his injuries were progressing from paraplegia to quadriplegia.

On April 18, Wincek underwent surgery at Philadelphia's Thomas Jefferson University Hospital to repair the fluid-filled cavity in his spinal cord thought to be at the root of the symptoms, Englert said.

Englert said the surgery went well and Wincek was transferred to Magee Rehabilitation Hospital, where he remains for physical therapy. Wincek has been capable of using his arms to move around in his wheelchair since the injury, he said.

The most recent surgery forced Wincek to withdraw from the spring semester, Englert said. A native of State College, Wincek had been living at home with his mother, Dawn, and father, Ron, and continuing to take classes at Penn State, he said.

Englert said Penn State offered to defer the classes to the summer, and Wincek plans to complete the credits at that time.

After speaking with Cory and his parents last week, Englert said Cory was optimistic, "in good spirits" and looking forward to returning to Penn State this summer.

"His life will only be normal in the circumstances, but knowing Cory, he will make the best of it," Englert said.

Englert said Wincek's medical bills are a recoverable expense in the pending lawsuit against the Keystone Real Estate Group and The Apartment Store, and the expenses stemming from his recent surgery will be added to the total. If Wincek's injuries continue to progress to quadriplegia, the medical expenses for his more severe condition would also be covered, Englert said.

To date, Centre County court has yet to rule on a request by the defense for more documentation from the building owners about the balcony's maintenance.

Eddie Magulick, owner of Eddie's Bicycle and Sport Equipment, 480 E. College Ave., put together a fundraiser to support Wincek's cause that concluded April 16. The fundraiser began at a youth hockey tournament and raised about $2,500.

Magulick said he watched Wincek grow up playing hockey with his son Andrew, who now plays for the Penn State Icers, and the two families would go on father-son camping trips together.

Andrew Magulick said he last saw Wincek when he came out to the Icers' home opener this season. Despite the tragedy Wincek endured, Andrew said Wincek is still the same kid he always was -- filling the locker room with laughter and a "great kid to be around."

"It's tough to see anyone like that, but someone that you grew up with ... that you used to run around the rink with when we were young -- and now he's in a wheelchair, it's really hard," Andrew said.