Family of TCU graduate shot in Las Vegas looks for strangers who helped save her life

Oct. 09--Elle Gargano's family is looking for two people who may have saved the recent TCU graduate's life.

Gargano, who suffered a head injury in last week's Las Vegas massacre, was apparently taken to a hospital by two strangers after the shooting.

"Two kind people took Elle in their car to the University Medical Center and likely saved her life!!!" family friend Phyllis Cambria posted on Facebook. "Her family is desperately trying to find the people who transported her to the hospital so they can share their gratitude.

"Please help us try to find them."

Gargano -- a 23-year-old who graduated from TCU last year with a degree in strategic communication and moved back home to California to become a marketing assistant at Zumasys -- was in Las Vegas to attend the country music festival.

She was near the front of the stage when the gunman began firing into the crowd, killing at least 58 people and injuring more than 500.

Police identified Stephen Paddock -- a retired accountant who lived and worked in North Texas as recently as 2010 -- as the gunman in the largest mass shooting in U.S. history. He was found dead in his hotel room at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino when police broke in.

The news that Gargano was among those injured -- and fighting for her life -- shocked many in her TCU family in Fort Worth and across the country.

Friends and strangers alike began praying and donating to a gofundme account geared to helping raise money for her medical and recovery costs.

Gargano has made steady progress since the shooting, according to updates posted by her company and friends on Facebook.

She's breathing on her own and getting some sleep, although she first had some problems with both pain medication and "some intermittent periods of fearful remembrances" of the shooting, longtime family friend Nicole Long shared on social media.

"She is a great patient and the staff love her," according to the post, which included an update from Elle's father, Mike Gargano. "They are unabashedly excited for her progress, everyone on each shift stops in to check on her. Elle listens to the nurses and gives clear direction on what she wants and needs.

"(One request is 'Call me an Uber and get me out of here.') The staff gracefully declined."

Mike Gragano said Elle's "neurological progress is amazing." She hears everything, has a "good range of motion and strength" and recognizes friends and family.

"Once again our family thanks all of you for your support prayers and concern. You all play a very important part in Elle's victories."

Elle Gargano's employer, Zumasys, posted on Facebook that she has made "notable (some would say miraculous) improvements.

"Tragedy has brought us closer as a company, and a community, but it truly takes a special kind of person to generate the amount of love we have seen and experienced firsthand," Zumasys posted. "We cannot wait to see Elle and her vibrant smile again very soon."

Long added her gratitude for prayers and help flooding in for Elle.

"Your kindness and generosity is inspiring," she posted on Facebook. "I cannot wait for Elle to see just how many people are rooting.

"From California to Chicago, this girl is LOVED."

Anna Tinsley: 817-390-7610, @annatinsley

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