INDIANAPOLIS (Indiana Star) — An Armenian-American woman was among those who died when a stage collapsed at the Indiana State Fair on August 13, right before the band Sugarland was to perform.
Alina BigJohny, of Muncie, was the daughter of an Armenian immigrant. She had just turned 23, and her family was planning a belated birthday celebration for her Sunday. But instead the party turned into a prayer vigil, the Associated Press reported.
BigJohny died Saturday when stage rigging collapsed at the Indiana State Fair.
“She was excited about this concert,” said her brother-in-law, Terry Collins. “She had the tickets for a while, and she’s been talking about it all summer.”
It was a busy time. After graduating in May with high honors from Manchester College, she had landed a job teaching middle school English in Muncie.
And her father, Robert BigJohny, was visiting from Arkansas. BigJohny’s parents had divorced, and her father, an Armenian immigrant, had planned to return to that country later this month and wanted to say goodbye.
