San Francisco Giants fan Bryan Stow, who was brutally beaten on Opening Day at Dodger Stadium, and his family got some good news today -- his condition was upgraded from critical to serious:

The 42-year-old Santa Cruz paramedic was moved last month from Los Angeles to San Francisco General Hospital, which has a top trauma center, to be closer to home.

Doctors there said Wednesday that Stow is now breathing without a ventilator and has been able to intermittently follow some basic commands. They say he’s also been weaned off two of five anti-seizure medications used to address brain swelling and that they’re lowering the doses of his remaining medications.

While I am no expert in brain injuries, the fact that Stow has been able to follow some basic commands likely means that he will eventually be able to recover from the beating.

No fan of any team should have to suffer in this way just because he’s wearing the opposition’s colors at the opposition’s ballpark. Not just Giants fans, but fans of every single sports team, should hope for a full recovery and that no one else, ever, has this happen to him or her.