The daughter of Paul Kueker — a Connecticut father who died after jumping during a concert at Madison Square Garden over the weekend — has started a fundraiser to support her family.
“It is with profound sadness that I share the unexpected passing of my beloved father, Paul Kueker, at the age of 51, following a tragic accident,” Kloe Kueker wrote on a GoFundMe page.
Kueker’s daughter said contributions will help the grieving family honor and lay to rest the man she described as a “loving father, family man, and friend.”
“The sudden loss of our dad has left our family heartbroken,” she wrote. “We are struggling to process this unimaginable tragedy while facing the expenses that come with laying him to rest.
“We have created this fundraiser to help cover funeral and memorial costs and to relieve some of the financial burden during this difficult time,” she said.
By Wednesday afternoon, the campaign had raised more than $58,800 toward its $65,000 goal.
Kueker, 51, had been attending a Goose concert at MSG with his wife, Kristen, as the couple marked their 25th wedding anniversary when he left his seat, apparently to use the bathroom.
EXCLUSIVE: Teena McQueen, Former Liberal Party Vice-President, Dies After Short Illness as Tributes Pour In
Sources said Kristen was sitting three sections away in the couple’s assigned seats when Kueker jumped, and she did not learn what had happened until authorities informed her.
Kueker was rushed to Bellevue Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Meanwhile, Goose issued several statements expressing heartbreak and condolences over the tragic incident, and held a moment of silence at a performance the following night.
They also released “BIG LOVE” T-shirts, with all proceeds going to the family’s fundraiser.
Police and the city medical examiner said the case is still under investigation.
“Thank you for your kindness, generosity, and support,” Kloe Kueker wrote on the fundraising site. “We will forever miss our dad’s love, strength, and the joy he brought into our lives.
“His memory will live on through the countless lives he touched and the family he loved so deeply.”
