Sitting at home Sunday afternoon, Brian Heathcott and Dan Dowler continued to think about Dante Love.
More than 12 hours after seeing the Ball State University wide receiver carted off the field because of a spinal cord injury, the two students were trying to find a way to show their support for the hospitalized player.
They came up with their solution, though, with the help of a popular social networking Web site.
Heathcott and Dowler created the Facebook group "Get Well Dante Love!!!," which has attracted more than 1,500 group members since it was formed Sunday afternoon.
"We were just trying to find a way to send our thoughts out and showed that we cared," Heathcott said. "Facebook is a good way for the community to come together."
Love was injured in the second quarter of Ball State's game against Indiana University and was transferred to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis. At the hospital, the senior had a successful five-hour surgery in an attempt to fix a cervical spine fracture and is now able to move all four extremities.
Heathcott, a sophomore telecommunications major who was in Bloomington for the game, said after the Cardinals won, the main conversation among fans was Love's injury. He also said everyone in the Ball State fan section was concerned once they saw him carted off and his family entering the field.
Dowler, who does not attend Ball State, said they decided to create the group because Facebook is a major way college students communicate and show that the community cares about a person.
"It's a lot easier for people to talk on Facebook," he said. "It's a big way to get news and keep in contact."
Despite not being a Ball State student, Dowler said he has always been amazed with Love's football abilities. In four games this season, Love leads the Mid-American Conference with 28 receptions and 460 receiving yards
About three hours after starting the group, there were about 50 members. However, at least 100 people joined the group each hour following 5 p.m.
In addition, Dowler stated in a wall post on the group's home page that he would send flowers and a card to Love's hospital room if more than 1,000 people joined the group -¡- a mark that was reached prior to 10 p.m.
Dowler said he was expecting the group to be huge when they created it.
Heathcott also said it has been nice to see Indiana students join the group, including Hoosiers' tight end Max Dedmond. Dedmond and Heathcott are friends, Heathcott said, and him joining the group displayed the mutual respect between the two schools and teams.
"I thought it was neat," Heathcott said. "It's a good way to show respect and sportsmanship."
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