Business & Tech

Simply Smashing! Helps Support Fallen EMT

Boutique is one of several local businesses that are drop-off location for cards, donations for Bryan Stow.

Local fashionistas are assembling together to help the family of Bryan Stow, the badly beaten paramedic who was left in a coma after the San Francisco Giants versus Los Angeles Dodgers' game March 31.

For Deb Rohzen, who own the Campbell boutique , the motivation is two-fold.

"First of all, my friend, Hasti, asked me to," Rohzen says. "I will do anything to support women-owned businesses. Second, the moment I found out about Bryan ... what happened to him was heinous. It's important for our local community to help our own."

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Simply Smashing! is one of five local businesses offering a place to drop off gift cards, donations and letters for Stow and his family through April 24.

"We are trying to help pay it forward," Rohzen says. "If our local community can come together for one of our own, maybe other communities will do the same for theirs. Maybe people will see this and think twice about doing what they did to Bryan. It won't be so easy."

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Hasti Kashfia, owner of MODE Bay Area and organizer of the effort to help Stow, read about what happened to him and was so touched she decided to mobilize those she knew through her Bay Area fashion blog.

"What really spoke to me in this story was seeing Bryan's pictures with his kids," Kashfia said in an e-mail. "My children adore their father and wait by the door when he's gone for longer than a day to see him. My heart hurts for their mom and the conversations that these kids were having at such a young age.

"I wanted to give people an outlet to do what they can," she said. "It's hard with the current state of the economy, but we can all take the time to create a card, or letter and encourage them.

The idea to get the local business community involved was something that comes naturally to Kashfia.

"Since starting MODE Bay Area, I have been blessed to know some really amazing people," she said. "From small businesses to large corporations, the people who are behind them are amazing giving people. There was zero hesitation on everyone's part to be a part of this."

Although Stow is in a coma, his condition remains stable.

A total of $150,000 has been offered as a reward for information leading to arrests of the two men suspected of beating Stow.

Four others have donated money, including Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael Antonovich, who has offered $10,000 for details leading to the suspects' arrest. The Dodgers have offered $25,000, and the Giants have offered $10,000. Stow's employer, American Medical Response, has offered $5,000.

In addition, a barbecue fundraiser hosted by AMR on April 6 drew a crowd of 3,000-4,000 people in San Jose and raised more than $140,000 to help pay Stow's medical bills, according to the company.

A similar drive has been planned next week in Los Angeles to raise money for Stow's hospital care.

No arrests have been made in connection to the beating. Police have released sketches of the two men, believed to be Hispanic men between 18-25 who were wearing Dodgers clothing.

Anyone with information about the attack is asked to call Los Angeles police at 877-527-3247.

A Web site, support4stow.blogspot.com, has been set up for people wishing to donate to the fund set up to help the family pay the hospital bills.

Items to be accepted Through April 24:
  • Gift cards for necessities, such as gas and food.
  • Handwritten get-well cards.
  • Something for the kids.
Drop off locations:

More locations announced soon.

Donate Anytime 

Paypal: stowdonations@gmail.com

Commonwealth Credit Union:

CUSWIRL.com Account #118881

To Donate Checks by Mail:

Checks should be made out to “The Bryan Stow Fund”
Mail to:
SF Police Credit Union
c/o San Mateo Branch
1495 S. El Camino Real
San Mateo, CA 94402

Cards and words of support for the Stow family will be delivered through this P.O Box.

Attn: For Bryan Stow
P.O. BOX 10277
San Jose, CA 95157

—Bay City News Service contributed to this story


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