FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) — Richard Lafferty worked as an usher at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum for two decades.

His favorite thing to do was work Komets games. He often worked the section where the players’ families would sit.

Richard would take the time to get to know people. He once brought all of the players’ wives and girlfriends candy for Valentines Day.

He was the type of usher who leaves an impression on those who visited the arena.

During Saturday night’s game against Wheeling, Lafferty collapsed and hit his head. He had to be rushed to the hospital where he died on Sunday.

His nephew, Tyler Bly, told WANE 15 that doctors had found blood clots in his legs a few weeks prior and put him on blood thinners.

Bly said they believe the blood thinners made him weak, which caused the fall.

That night, Defenseman Blake Siebenaler’s mom, Julie, was sitting in the section where Lafferty was escorting guests to their seats.

She even spoke with him that evening. At one point, she looked up and saw her 10-year-old granddaughter standing next to Lafferty after his fall with a look of confusion on her face. According to Siebenaler, the player’s wives and girlfriends in the back row also became very shaken up.

“It was hard to see. And just knowing that it was him and that he had just been laughing and smiling a little bit before then, it was not a good situation,” Siebenaler said.

She spoke of Lafferty as someone who was always happy, always cracking jokes, and as someone who loved the Komets.

Bly told WANE 15 that his uncle wanted to work every game. He’d try to work even if staffing was already covered.

Lafferty, who he knew as “Uncle Dick,” was also a Purdue alum and a big fan of the Boilermakers. He was involved with bird and wildlife groups in the community and also played the train conductor on the kids program “The Uncle Ducky Show,” which airs on Access Fort Wayne and online.

Bly and Siebenaler connected after Lafferty’s death. He told her that the family may struggle to pay for the funeral. That inspired Siebenaler to help.

She set up a GoFundMe to help the family. By Wednesday morning, the fundraiser had reached $4,600.

“People are really donating and it’s great to see that, and I really hope to help his family with it,” Siebenaler said.

One of the top donations came from Komets Executive VP and co-owner Scott Sproat.

“The Komets value our partnership with the Coliseum and all of the dedicated men and women who help to make our events as great as they can be.  Richard certainly fit that description.  We wish his family peace and comfort as they work through this difficult time,” Sproat said in a statement sent to WANE 15.

As everyone moves forward, one thing will be missing at Komets games: Richard’s familiar face everyone grew accustomed to seeing.

Those who knew him take solace in the fact that, while it’s terrible to lose him, it happened while he was at a place he loved doing what he loved.

“Knowing, though, that it happened where he was happy — and he was 75 years old and still going in to work– so he really enjoyed his job,” Siebenaler said. “It’s just going to be sad to not have him there.”

Siebenaler and Bly have both been blown away by the donations and comments left by fans and Komets players. It leaves Bly knowing that his uncle truly made an impact on a lot of people, and his family will never forget it.

“It’s really reassuring because it’s good to know that no matter what comes in, that his wife is going to be able to at least know that he touched so many people,” he said.

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