Two hundred miles from the hospital bed where Alisha Brennon is recovering from injuries sustained in the Indiana State Fair stage collapse that killed her fiancé, Chicago's LGBT community has rallied around Brennon.
Brennon was transported to an Indianapolis hospital Aug. 13 due to injuries sustained during the stage collapse, which has now killed seven. Brennon suffered fractures to her skull and broke her leg and multiple ribs.
Brennon's friends say they're doing their best to keep her in good spirits and support her through recovery.
"She's just an amazing kid," said Stacey Baker, a Chicago Force teammate who has been at the hospital with Brennon. "She is improving every day."
Brennon is "out of the woods" Baker said, and is expected to make a full physical recovery. She was moved out of the intensive-care unit early last week but remains unable to return to Chicago.
Santiago's family and friends spent the week mourning the loss of the LGBT health advocate, who was well-known for her work with Amigas Latinas and the Lesbian Community Care Project.
On Aug. 19 Santiago was buried next to her mother at St. Raymond's Cemetery in the Bronx, N.Y., where she grew up.
Many Chicagoans close to Santiago traveled to New York for the service. Those who were not able to make it to New York have been able to stay up-to-date via a new website dedicated to Brennon and Santiago, www.brennonsantiago.com/index.html .
Amigas Latinas and Howard Brown Health Center are planning a memorial service in Chicago, but that memorial will wait until Brennon is well enough to attend, said Amigas Board President Rosa Yadira Ortiz.
Brennon spent the week at the hospital fighting to get well enough to be transported back home, said Baker. Her family and friends have been with her throughout.
"Her spirits have been up and down, obviously," said Baker. "It's been a very difficult thing … but she's bouncing back."
According to Baker, fair concertgoers have been bringing Brennon food. An Indianapolis PFLAG (Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbian and Gays), delivered large bags of food as well.
"The support has been overwhelming," said Baker.
In Chicago, the Celtic Softball Club also aimed to ease some of the burden. The team, which is rival of Brennon's softball team, made a last-minute decision to turn their own fundraiser into a fundraiser for Brennon.
More than 100 people packed into T's Restaurant and Bar Aug. 20. to raise money to help pay Brennon's medical bills and supplement her income while she recovers from the accident. In total, the team raised $6,125.
Brennon and Santiago's Chicago Force Football teammates were also on hand at the fundraiser. Friends celebrated the couple's resilience on and off the field at the upbeat event.
"They were both really tough," said Lauren Haase. "[Santiago] was like 110 pounds, and if we needed a blocker, she used to block for us."
Brennon and Santiago's story received national press this week.
Country music sensation Chely Wright posted positive wishes for Brennon on her Twitter account. "Christina Santiago: Partner/LGBT Activist/Country Music Fan. Rest In Peace," Wright wrote. "Sending prayers to her partner, Alisha Brennon for healing. Xo."
However, in addition to positive press, online news blog The Bilerico Project published a story that claimed that Indianapolis coroner's office refused to release Santiago's body to Brennon due to the Defense of Marriage Act. The story was untrue and was retracted the next day.
In a related matter, another woman whose wife was killed in the accident has reported such an incident. An attorney for Beth Urschel alleges that Urschel was forced to track down her wife's ex-husband in order to claim the remains of her partner of 10 years, Tammy VanDam.
According to Amigas Latinas, Brennon's wishes have been respected thus far.
Howard Brown Health Center has been discussing the possibility of creating a memorial fund in honor of Santiago but has yet to release official plans.
Brennon's friends are asking that community members send her upbeat messages while she recovers. Messages can be posted at www.brennonsantiago.com/guestbook.html . Friends are reading notes to Brennon daily, Baker said.