By Carolyn Jones
The San Francisco Chronicle
SAN FRANCISCO — The San Francisco Giants fan brutally beaten outside Dodger Stadium last week is suffering from brain damage and remains in a coma, his surgeon said Tuesday.
Bryan Stow, 42, of Santa Cruz, remains in critical condition at Los Angeles County USC Medical Center after a pair of Dodgers fans attacked him after a game Thursday.
Stow is undergoing treatment for a severe skull fracture and bad bruising to his frontal lobe, and is showing signs of “brain injury and dysfunction,” Dr. Gabriel Zada said.
Meanwhile, the Giants will urge fans from both teams to refrain from violence Monday when the Giants host the Dodgers at AT&T Park.
“We’ll ask fans to come together and have the two teams join before the game to remind people what respectful rivalry is,” Giants spokeswoman Shana Daum said. “The rivalry should stay on the field.”
The Giants announced Tuesday that the team plans to honor Stow during pregame ceremonies at Friday’s home opener and at Monday’s game against the Dodgers.
More than 100 volunteers from American Medical Response — where Stow worked as a paramedic — will collect donations from fans to offset Stow’s medical costs not covered by insurance and to help his family. The Giants have given $10,000 to his medical fund.
In addition, the Giants Community Fund will hold a silent auction of baseball memorabilia and tickets during the game, also to raise money for Stow.
At the home opener against the St. Louis Cardinals, the Giants will hold a pre-game “moment of silence” for Stow, a season ticket holder who had traveled to Los Angeles to cheer for the Giants on Opening Day when he was attacked.
“Bryan Stow was a Giants fan, a paramedic and an innocent victim, but most importantly, he’s a father,” Daum said. “He’s part of our family. He could be any of our brothers, sons, friends. We can’t stand by silently.”
The Dodgers fans who attacked Stow may have also struck other Giants fans that night, Los Angeles police said Tuesday.
Police are looking for two men in their late teens or early 20s, one of whom was wearing a tank top and the other a Dodgers jersey on the night of the beating.
The reward fund has reached $100,000, thanks to a $50,000 donation from the city of Los Angeles, $25,000 from the Dodgers, $10,000 from the Giants, $10,000 from Los Angeles County and $5,000 from American Medical Response.
Stow’s friends and family have urged fans to not seek revenge on Dodger fans when the teams play next week.
“We are adamant that people not take this out on Dodger fans. The people who did this to Bryan are just two individuals who did something stupid,” said Daniel Franklin, a co-worker of Stow’s at American Medical Response. “These guys are not Dodgers fans. They’re just lowlifes.”
Stow is a father of two whom friends describe as fun loving, upbeat and compassionate. As a paramedic, he has saved countless lives and is especially skilled at diffusing tense situations, friends said.
His family has been keeping vigil at his bedside.
“They’re doing as well as can be expected,” said Stow’s friend and co-worker, Rebecca Mackowiak. “They’re really trying to maintain their privacy, so they can have some time to cope with this whole thing.”
Helping Bryan Stow — American Medical Response is hosting a fundraiser barbecue for Stow today from noon to 8 p.m. at the company’s Santa Clara County headquarters, 1670 Las Plumas Ave., San Jose. — Donations to Stow’s medical fund can be sent to the Bryan Stow Fund, account No. 1377733, San Francisco Police Credit Union, 1495 S. El Camino Real, San Mateo CA 94402.
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