NEW YORK – The Greek-American community in Las Vegas, Nevada, in Tucson Arizona, and in Irvine, California and many members from other Greek communities around the Southwest sent their prayers and love to all the victims of the shooting, but especially for the recuperation and healing of the 26-year-old Savannah Sanchez. Savannah is the only Greek Orthodox parishioner that got seriously hurt during the worst mass shooting on U.S. soil, on October 1, 2017. The perpetrator, Stephen Paddock killed 58 people in the Las Vegas Strip attending a country music festival and injured 489. Paddock committed suicide.

Sanchez’ page is filled with prayers from friends and supporters, many of them Greek-Americans from various communities of the Southwest U.S. and California. A great number of Greek Orthodox parishioners helped substantially in order to raise the amount needed in order to pay for her medical expenses.

Yusely Herrera, a childhood friend of Sanchez wrote on the ‘GoFundMe’ page she created for her friend to help with the large medical bills: “Thanks a million, to everyone who has donated to my wonderful friend. She’s going to be so grateful to know that even people who she doesn’t even know has helped her out with this. I’m beyond grateful for every one of you. To know that a whole community of people can come together to do such a wonderful thing for someone is just absolutely incredible. I wish I could thank each and every one of you personally, but it’s too many. But from the bottom of my heart I’d like to extend a personal thank you to each and every one of you.”
She stated that Savannah’s doing better: “I spoke briefly with her sister last night. Savannah is recovering now, she’s off life support, waking up every once and a while and is talking a little. The prayers have worked miracles!”

According to sources, Savannah got hit in the back, the bullet went through her esophagus and then ricocheted inside her body cavity hurting her vital organs. She went through two surgeries and she is recuperating slowly but in stable condition in St. Rose Dominican hospital, in Las Vegas.