More than a hundred people go to vigil for woman killed in stage collapse

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - More than a hundred people came to a candlelight vigil Sunday evening at Wayne High School for a Fort Wayne woman that was killed when the stage collapsed at the Indiana State Fair Saturday .

Alina BigJohny , who graduated from Wayne High School in 2007 and from Manchester College in the spring of 2011, was among four others who were killed just before a Sugarland concert at the state fairgrounds.

Dozens of people lit candles in the Wayne High School parking lot. They then walked through the rain to Alina's mother's home, which is only a short distance from the school. There, they made a memorial in the front lawn. 

"She was such a special person. She deserves something like this," Andrea Miles, Alina's childhood friend, said.

When people described Alina words like amazing, successful, smart, caring and go-getter kept coming up. Alina was salutatorian at Wayne High School, was senior class president, on the gymnastics team and was the yearbook editor. Miles said Alina was a social butterfly who always had fun.

"She was so fun-loving and an awesome person to be around. She would walk into the room and light up the room," Miles said.

Alina also loved children. One of her former teachers said Alina was about to start a new teaching job this fall as a 7th grade English teacher at Wilson Middle School in Muncie.

"She made an impact on everyone who knew her and everyone will remember her," Miles said.

Arturo Pena Jr. went to high school with Alina for three years and was one of her best friends. He helped organize Sunday's vigil.

"[She was] amazing," Pena said, choking back tears. "Always had a smile on her face when you walk into the room. She was a good person, very smart, caring and would do anything for anybody."

Services for Alina haven't been released yet.

Alina was at the fair with a friend. NewsChannel 15's been told she is still in critical condition with broken ribs and other injuries.