Tributes have been paid to a 54-year-old man from Michigan who died suddenly while attending a 60th anniversary Grateful Dead show with his partner
Thousands of Grateful Dead fans were left in shock after a fan dropped dead at the band’s 60th anniversary show.
Fred Cothard was with his girlfriend and was grooving to the track They Love Each Other when tragedy struck in San Francisco on Sunday night.
The 54-year-old carpenter from Michigan was with his partner, Jody Leddy, enjoying a long-planned trip to the city, which they had booked before the concerts were even announced. But in a heartbreaking twist, the evening turned to tragedy as Fred suddenly fell to the floor. It comes after a dad’s desperate phone call moments before an explosion kills him and his daughters.
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Jody later shared an emotional tribute online, saying: “Fred Cothard was and is my love. I am blessed and honoured to have been there with him every moment yesterday before, during and after his passing. I was holding him, talking to him about his kids, and kissing him until hours after the doctor pronounced him, until I got in touch with his daughter.”
Mr Cothard’s cause of death remains a mystery for his loved ones, with it currently being registered as unconfirmed.
One witness claims she saw frantic scenes as fans waved for help, saying: “Then I looked down about 15 feet behind me and saw a lifeless man receiving chest compressions.”
Fred’s sudden passing sent shockwaves through the Deadhead community, with messages of love and support flooding in from across the world. Tina Nash Cothard said the “love and light we have received from the Dead family has truly helped us navigate this difficult time.”
Fred’s children, Sadie and Sawyer, have launched a GoFundMe to help bring their dad home and give him the send-off he deserves, writing: “Our dad, Fred, was an incredible father and friend to all. His love for us was endless — but his love for the Grateful Dead and their community was almost as strong.”
Fred had introduced his children to the band’s music in 2016, and even as youngsters, they were welcomed into the “Dead family” with open arms. His stepson also paid tribute: “I like to think Jerry Garcia played you into the afterlife.”
Fred’s obituary described him as a man whose “greatest love was exploring with his children” and travelling the country to see his favourite band.
