San Jose Mercury News
SAN JOSE, Calif. — The American Medical Response headquarters in San Jose hosted a barbecue today attended by thousands of people who poured in to enjoy the food and festivities.
Attendees wore flip flops and baseball hats, a man flipped hamburger patties and hot dogs on a large outdoor grill, kids played in a bounce house, and music blared from speakers.
But this was no ordinary barbecue. It was an effort by AMR to raise money for Bryan Stow, a 42-year-old emergency medical technician in Santa Clara County, who was severely beaten outside Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles Thursday night following the opening day game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Francisco Giants.
Stow remains in the hospital in critical, but stable, condition. Martine Bustamente, a volunteer coordinator for the event and colleague of Stow’s, said the funds would go toward helping his family pay his medical bills.
As of late this afternoon, the final donation count had not been determined, but Bustamente said AMR received a $20,000 donation from Pizza My Heart, a pizza chain with more than a dozen Bay Area locations, and $5,000 from bracelet sales at the barbecue.
“This party represents what Bryan was about,” Bustamente said. “Bryan Stow has to be one of the kindest, sweetest, most fun people you’ve ever met in your life.”
Stow was walking with friends, all wearing Giants clothing, near Dodger Stadium’s F2 parking lot when a pair of men clad in Dodgers apparel approached him from behind, according to Los Angeles police Officer Rosario Herrera.
Police said the men taunted Stow for being a Giants fan, and then hit him from behind, causing him to fall to the ground.
They kicked him repeatedly, causing severe head and body injuries, Herrera said.
When Stow’s friends tried to intervene, they were also attacked by the men. They suffered minor injuries and were treated at the scene and released, police said.
Stow, however, experienced the worst of the attack.
Though spirits were high at the barbecue, some could not help but turn somber when thinking about Stow.
“We’re all heartbroken and we want him home in the best condition we can get him in,” Bustamente said.
Edward Quinones, a probation officer in Alameda County and resident of San Jose who came with his wife and young son, reflected on the beating.
“I think what happened was very disgusting,” Quinones said. “It being a sporting event, you would think it would be a safe place.”
His wife, Yvette Quinones, a human resources manager at Stanford University, agreed, calling the act “senseless.”
“There is no sense to what happened,” she said. “It’s not representative of what sports is about.”
No arrests have been made in connection to the beating and little information is available about the attackers, other than that they are Hispanic men between 18 and 25 years old who were wearing Dodgers clothing.
Anyone with information about the attack is asked to call Los Angeles police at (877) 527-3247.
A website, www.support4stow.blogspot.com , has been set up for people wishing to donate directly to the fund.
The Giants will collect donations for the fund, to which it pledged to make an initial contribution of $10,000, at AT&T Park during Monday’s home game versus the Dodgers. The team will also pay tribute to Stow prior to its first home game against the Dodgers on Friday.
Copyright 2011 San Jose Mercury News
All Rights Reserved