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(CNN) - A gymnast from South Connecticut State University died Sunday after suffering an injury while training last Friday.
Melanie Coleman fell during a "routine training exercise" on uneven bars, Ken Sweeten, a spokesman for the university, told CNN on Monday.
"Right now, our thoughts and prayers are with Melanie's family," said the athletic director of the university, Jay Moran, in a statement. "This has been devastating for their coaches and teammates and we look forward to supporting you in this difficult time."
Coleman's personal trainer, Thomas Alberti, described the incident as "a total accident" on Monday. "It's simply not something anyone can process."
Coleman, 20, was pursuing a nursing career. He also taught part-time at Alberti's gymnasium, New Era Gymnastics.
"I was his full-time coach for 10 years," Alberti said. “She was always a leader in my gym. She was the leader everyone admired. ”
Alberti said Coleman taught gymnastics at all levels of students, from 2-year-olds to 15-year-olds. He described her as dedicated, with a pure love for the sport. "He had the desire to help everyone around him."
Coleman came from a family of gymnasts. His mother competed, as did his two older sisters.
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"For her it wasn't about getting a better score," he said.
"What made her a great gymnast is also what made her a great person," Alberti added. He said Coleman modeled "love for whatever you dream to do and give it to the people around you."
Jerry Nelson, the recently retired head gymnastics coach in southern Connecticut, also praised Coleman's commitment to others.
"Melanie was an extraordinary young woman who positively touched everything she knew," Nelson said in a statement. “Melanie was a true team player, a great worker and a real pleasure to train. I am extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to train her. ”
In its statement on Monday, the university directed the public to a GoFundMe page created over the weekend to raise money for Coleman's family. The website raised more than $ 45,000 from almost 1,000 donors until Monday night.
Gymnastics
