Between gymnastics, basketball and volunteering, Ashley Baltazar spent her four years at Westmont High School cheering on the football team to victory. Now her former classmates, friends and family are the ones cheering for her as the 19-year-old fights for life at Central DuPage Hospital.

On Sept. 9, Ashley was cutting out photos for her scrapbook with her mother Cheryl at their Westmont home. Around 10 p.m. after the family had gone to bed, Ashley suffered a sudden brain aneurysm. When her father checked her room upon hearing a noise, Ashley was rushed to Good Samaritan Hospital and then Central DuPage Hospital to undergo brain surgery.

“With aneurysms there can be symptoms like major headaches, migraines, fatigue,” said her father Rob Baltazar. “It was just completely out of the blue. She never had headaches, she was never fatigued. She was always on the go.”

To fix the aneurysm surgeons had to induce Ashley into a coma as well as paralyze her, Rob said. They also had to perform a surgery to remove her forehead bone allowing her brain to swell and later drill a hole in her skull to drain fluid. Though she remains in the Intensive Care Unit and has yet to regain consciousness since the initial rupture, her father said Ashley is showing increasing signs of life and brain activity.

“She can move her arms now, and yesterday (Sept. 30) they took her off the ventilator and she breathed for five hours on her own,” he said. “She squeezes our hand. We know she’s there.”

Since graduating from Westmont High in 2007, Ashley has been attending College of DuPage full time with plans to major in hotel management. She works as a hostess at Hugo’s Frog Bar in Naperville, where Rob said she recently received a promotion.

Doctors do not know yet how full a recovery is possible for Ashley. It’s possible she could lose her vision, voice, hearing or other abilities, Rob said, but a person’s will to fight--usually stronger at a young age--is typically a determining factor, and Ashley has already proven herself strong.

“She’s been a a major fighter,” Rob said. “They thought she would die three times. She has surprised the surgeons. She’s surprised everybody. She’s a remarkable kid.”

Ashley has been in the ICU for four weeks, and will likely stay another two to four, Rob said. When she is able to breath on her own she will likely be moved to Marionjoy Rehabilitation Hospital in Wheaton. The recovery period for an aneurysm varies but can take about one to two years.

With eight surgeons and what could be upwards of two months in the ICU, Ashley’s medical bills are mounting quickly.

A group of parents at Westmont High School have set up a fund in Ashley’s name at Bank of America in Westmont to help cover some of the cost.

Jill Drover, a Westmont Junior High staff member, said parents have been collecting money at the high school football games and have raised $1,600.

For people who would like to donate, check or cash donations can be dropped off at Westmont High School, 909 Oakwood Drive, or Bank of America, 139 N. Cass Ave, Westmont, IL 60559.

Checks should be made out to the Ashley Baltazar Medical Fund. For more information call (630) 390-0153.