Wounded students being treated in hospitals, at home

As the Northern Illinois University community mourns the deaths of five students, others who were wounded in Thursday's shootings were being treated at area hospitals and, in some cases, even were going home.

Troy Chamberlain

Friends said freshman Troy Chamberlain of Sycamore was resting at his grandmother's DeKalb home after being discharged from Kishwaukee Community Hospital late Thursday.

Chamberlain, 19, posted the following on his MySpace Web site at 1:56 p.m. Friday:

"Thank you everyone for all the support and prayers. It means ALOT! What I went through yesterday was probably the hardest and scariest thing I have ever had to endure … I have been shot in the legs twice and the buckshot left over 22 pellets in my left thigh and leg and 3 in my right thigh."

The pre-sociology major is a 2007 graduate of Sycamore High School. Superintendent Wayne Riesen described him as a "very quiet and studious young man."

"Troy was active in the French Club and worked as an editor on our school newspaper," Riesen said. "We understand he was injured in the attack and will be OK but we remain supportive of Troy and will follow his progress."

Samantha Dehner

Sophomore Samantha Dehner of Carol Stream was reported in stable condition after being shot in the arm. Dehner, a member of the college's Sigma Kappa sorority, is a 2006 Glenbard North High School graduate.

"She was a real sweet, hard-working girl doing what (she was) supposed to do and not getting into any trouble and wanting to go off to college and carry on," Glenbard guidance counselor Robin Craig said.

J.D. Donohue

J.D. Donohue, 19, of Rolling Meadows, is home with his family and doing as well as can be expected, according to his father Fran Donohue. A sophomore, Donohue saw a surgeon Friday to assess the 20 to 30 shotgun pellets in his neck, back and head.

The doctor said he would leave the pellets in place until the trauma of the incident has passed. The situation for the former Rolling Meadows High School football player is complicated by the fact he suffered two strokes in 2004 during a football game. He receives MRIs regularly but cannot do so while the metal is still in him.

Fran described his son as outgoing, gregarious and a leader who was brave enough to turn around and re-enter the classroom where the shooting took place when he realized his girlfriend wasn't with him.

"He's a tough kid having gone through the things he's gone through in his short life already," Fran said.

Ryne Erickson

Ryne Erickson, who played baseball for the Maine West High School Warriors, was recuperating at his Des Plaines home from a shotgun blast to the back of his head.

Principal Audrey Haugan spoke with Erickson's father and sent an e-mail to staff saying "his dad and his doctors confirmed he's one very lucky man."

Though Erickson was hit in the back of the head and shoulders from the shotgun spray, the principal wrote, it embedded in the tissue and did not penetrate the skull.

Doctors did not perform surgery but said it may be needed in the future.

Erickson graduated from Maine West in 2006. He was a pitcher for the baseball team.

Brian Karpes

Geology teaching aide Brian Karpes remained hospitalized after doctors reportedly removed five bullets from his chest.

Friends and family say the prognosis is positive. The 27-year-old Rolling Meadows native graduated in 1998 from Fremd High School in Palatine.

Indiana State University President Lloyd W. Benjamin III confirmed Karpes was a victim in a letter he wrote for the school's Web site. Karpes graduated from Indiana State University in Terre Haute in 2007 with a bachelor's degree in aviation management and geology. He's enrolled at NIU as a grad student studying geology and is set to earn his master's degree next year.

Karpes was among the first shot Thursday, Hoffman Estates Mayor William McLeod said. He was at one time married to McLeod's stepdaughter.

One of Karpes' relatives, Kathy Faydash, posted a message on a Web site.

"They were able to remove all of the bullets. His dad was able to see him (Thursday night) briefly after surgery," the message read. "The family is ever so grateful for the prayers and said to say thank you so much."

Karpes was taken to St. Anthony Hospital in Rockford but then was transported to Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove.

Patrick Korellis

Patrick Korellis, a fan of all things weather- and Greek-related, was released from the hospital and was at home in Lindenhurst.

The 22-year-old was shot in the back of his neck, near the base of his skull and in his arm. Still, he was well enough hours later to take phone calls from family and friends and even saw a visitor or two.

Christine Korkowski was one of those visitors.

She met Korellis in the sixth grade and said they've been best friends since. In fact, Korellis spent countless hours with Korkowski in a hospital just last year when she needed kidney dialysis.

On Thursday, the tables had turned. When Korellis described what happened, Korkowski found herself wishing she could've taken her friend's place.

"He described last night what he saw," Korkowski said in an e-mail interview. "He even held up an invisible gun, one shot after another. He told me everyone hit the floor. He was crawling up the ramp toward the exit. Then when he went to stand up, he got hit. He said he felt the back of his head and blood was all over his hand."

It's unclear when Korellis plans on returning to school.

He is a senior majoring in both geology and meteorology. He interned for WGN-TV's chief meteorologist Tom Skilling.

"I'm losing it," an emotional Skilling said Thursday night. "This is horrible. I can't even imagine what the parents and family members of these young people are going through right now. We're worried sick."

Korkowski said it appears Korellis will be fine.

"Patrick is doing good, as good as he can be for getting shot twice," she said.

Jeff Malina

Jeff Malina of Glenview is in "good and stable condition and expected to make a full recovery," according to Glenbrook South High School Principal Brian Wegley, who spoke with Malina's family Friday.

Malina is a 2005 graduate of Glenbrook and a junior at Northern. He reportedly was shot in the neck.

"He has a great humor and is extremely outgoing," close friend Michael Gonzalez said via e-mail. "He is the most friendly and innocent person I know."

Unnum Rahman

Unnum Rahman, a 19-year-old business major from Plainfield, was upgraded from serious to fair condition after surgery to repair her right eye.

Doctors said it's too early to know if she'll recover all her vision, but it has improved.

Her father, Wassif Rahman, said she was upbeat.

"She has her friends and family around her. We hope she recovers quickly and comes home soon," he said.

He said Unnum ran out of the lecture hall, not even knowing she had been shot until she was outside. A friend then saw her bleeding and got help.

Rahman described his daughter as a friendly girl who loves people and always helps everyone around her.

"I thank God I'm in this position, because there are other parents who aren't," he said. "My heart goes out to all the other parents."

Maria Natzeli Ruiz Santana

Maria Ruiz Santana, a 19-year-old pre-sociology student from Elgin, was the first of three patients to be flown to Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove.

Doctors said she suffered multiple shotgun blasts to the head, neck and chest. She was listed in critical condition, but doctors said she was improving.

Jorge Martinez, a friend of Santana's, said she's facing a tough battle in the intensive care unit.

Santana had surgery to address shotgun wounds to her neck, chest and leg. She also lost a tooth.

Dr. Michael Iwanicki, medical director of trauma services and chairman of the department of surgery, said shotgun injuries are difficult to treat because the path of the pellets must be traced to know what vital organs have been affected.

Sherman Yau

Sherman Yau, 20, of Naperville, was upgraded Friday to serious condition, according to officials at Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove. He was shot once in the left shoulder with a large-caliber handgun and sustained injuries to his right lung. He was flown by helicopter from Kishwaukee Community Hospital.

Yau is a 2005 graduate of Naperville Central High School and attended Purdue University before transferring to Northern. He had just visited Central on winter break.

During the visit, he was in great spirits and happy to be studying computer science, according to Central applied science and technology teacher Brett Thompson. Thompson said Yau was "intelligent, likable and fun" and would always lighten the mood in class.

"He had an intuitive nature with them (computers)," Thompson said. "He always did really well with my classes. It did not surprise me when he said he was a computer science major. I thought that would be a good fit for Sherman."

Central Principal Jim Caudill said Yau challenged himself with tough courses like physics and statistics.

"He had a great personality and got along with the kids real well," Caudill said.