More than 1,000 people across the country have donated money and meals as news has spread of the death Sunday of Southern Connecticut State University student Melanie Coleman, who suffered fatal injuries in a fall from uneven bars while training last week.
By Tuesday, a GoFundMe page made for the family and shared by the school had attracted more than $55,000 in donations from across the country and a separate online effort to coordinate meals for the family has people signed up through the next two months.
Coleman, 20, a junior from Milford studying nursing, died at Yale-New Haven Hospital, where she was taken after sustaining injuries while training at New Era Gymnastics in Hamden, officials said. The school has a contract with the facility, and coaches were there Friday when Coleman was injured.
For the time being, Southern's gymnastics team will train on campus in Pelz Gymnasium, the team's other practice facility, said university spokesman Patrick Dilger.
Dr. James Gill, the chief state's medical examiner, said Tuesday that an autopsy is being performed. Coleman, from a family of gymnasts, had been involved with the sport for three-quarters of her life.
Grief counselors were available on campus, said university spokesman Patrick Dilger.
In a statement, the Coleman family said they were "humbled" by the outpouring of community support, adding her spirit will carry on.
"Our lovely Melanie comes from an amazing large family. She was and will continue to be our light and love. She was a loving daughter, sister, cousin, teammate, and best friend," the family said in the statement shared with WTNH. "We are confident that her spirit, laughter, and humor will live on through the ones who loved her most, as well as through the gift of life to those who needed it most through organ donation."
Along with donations and meals, condolences came in from gymnastic programs across the county. USA Gymnastics, the governing body for the sport, shared on social media their "thoughts and prayers." Similar messages were shared from collegiate programs from Maryland to Colorado and Minnesota.
Coleman, a promising gymnast, had trained at the facility for more a decade before attending Southern.
"The injury occurred after she slipped off of the bar," said Thomas Alberti, owner of New Era. "It was an unexpected accident with a tragic result." Alberti had coached Melanie Coleman during her years at New Era. She was also an instructor there, and some of her students have expressed their gratitude in posts on social media.
The school said they "found the gymnastics-specific facility to hold to the highest standard of safety." Officials believed that all protocols were followed, but are "looking into all aspects" of the incident.
Coleman was a graduate of Jonathan Law High School, where she was an all-state gymnast and captain of the school's team. She followed in her sister's footsteps and attended Southern. Coleman was recognized as an All-America scholar athlete by USA Gymnastics and the Women's Collegiate Gymnastics Association.
"This weekend we lost a special member of the Jonathan Law community, alumnae Melanie Coleman, who graduated in 2017. She died of a tragic accident this weekend. We are all very saddened by her passing," the school's principal, Fran Thomspon, said in a message to students Monday.
"I ask you to please keep the Coleman family in your thoughts and prayers this week and going forward. One of the things that made Melanie such a great kid, and all of her siblings great, is that they really did what they loved to do, and were kind and good to each other."
Dilger said the university is planning a campus tribute after the family's services are finished. He said a number people did seek out the counselors on campus.
"But often that need comes with time, so we anticipate that these services will be sought out in the following days and weeks," he said.
