Registered nurse Sophia Santana was a concertgoer at Travis Scott’s Astroworld Festival in Houston, Texas, when a crowd crush turned the November 2021 event into a tragedy.
Knocked to the ground during the concert, Santana quickly got back up and reminded herself of the oath she took in her profession. She began searching for people who needed assistance, found a young man who was semi-responsive and began performing life-saving measures until medics arrived more than an hour later.
“It’s not in my nature to run away if I can help,” said Santana, who completed her bachelor’s degree in nursing at West Coast University and is now a graduate student in nursing at Cal State Fullerton.
She was approached by Netflix to share her story in the documentary, “Trainwreck: The Astroworld Tragedy,” along with the man whose life she saved. The pair reflected on their experiences and advocated for increased safety measures to prevent another incident.
“Sophia exemplifies the kind of practitioner who understands that the role of a clinician is beyond her daily responsibilities,” said Elaine Rutkowski, CSUF professor of nursing. “Her nursing ‘lens’ is always intact and, as a result, she has the opportunity to offer her skills at any time and any place.”
Following the Astroworld incident, Santana decided to apply to Cal State Fullerton’s Master of Science in nursing program.
“Cal State Fullerton has the best program in California for nursing,” said Santana, a Class of 2026 grad. “I was excited to be accepted into the master’s program and to advance my practice.”
The first in her family to earn both bachelor’s and master’s degrees, Santana currently works as a nurse for a public health organization and aspires to pursue a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree.
Friendship and Healing
The man Santana saved is Arturo Sanchez from Texas. He was 23 years old when he fell during the concert and suffered cardiac arrest. Today, he continues to heal, coping with survivor’s guilt and depression.
“Surviving the incident has been a rollercoaster. Healing isn’t linear,” he shared.
“I didn’t quite fully grasp the extent of what Sophia did for me until weeks, maybe even months, after the incident,” said Sanchez. “Thanks to Sophia and God, I have another opportunity to live.”
Santana and Sanchez have since become good friends, regularly checking in with each other and flying across states to spend time together.
“Now, getting to know Sophia, I have found she is very driven and passionate as a nurse,” said Sanchez. “In and outside of her work, she is like this, and it’s something that truly makes me look up to her.
“I’m proud of everything she has accomplished as a nurse.”