A father of two died after falling from an upper level at a Goose concert in Madison Square Garden, just days before his 25th wedding anniversary.
Paul Kueker, 51, fell about 150 feet from an elevated section during the band’s New York City show on June 20. Shocking video shows the moment the tragedy unfolded, with witnesses claiming Kueker “appeared intoxicated,” according to the New York Post.
NYPD officers responded to a 911 call and found him unconscious and unresponsive. He was taken to Bellevue Hospital, where he died.
According to Billboard, Kueker had been seated in Section 300 at the time of the incident. Authorities have not indicated any foul play, and the investigation is ongoing. His wife didn’t see her husband fall, but grew concerned after he failed to return from the restroom.
“Just horrible”
Concertgoers who were at Madison Square Garden described a disturbing aftermath following the fall, according to VT.
“Someone fell. They took him away on a stretcher. They’re not letting us back in our section. They’re going in with mops and re-seating us. I’m in section 102,” one person wrote on Reddit.
Another attendee responded: “I was there, they emptied out the section when it happened,” according to VT.
A third concertgoer said: “I was nowhere near the ‘scene’ and it was still so horrifying. The second set was so jarring just kept looking back and forth between the band and the tapped off seats. I ended up leaving early cause of how uneasy the feeling was there. Just horrible. RIP.”
Paul Kueker died at MSG concert
Kueker’s mother, Patricia Finelli, said her son had gotten up during the concert to use the restroom but never made it back to his seat.
“He got up to go to the bathroom, and he didn’t come back,” she said. “[His wife] was getting worried after 10 or 15 minutes. And he didn’t come back.”
Finelli remembered her son as a devoted husband, father, and son.
“He was the greatest kid in the whole wide world,” she said. “He’d give you the shirt off his back.
“He has two children, a beautiful wife, and he took care of me like I was a piece of gold.”
Kueker and his wife had been preparing to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary on Tuesday.
It happened just days before his 25th wedding anniversary
Madison Square Garden issued a statement, saying: “While we await the police report on the tragedy at last night’s Goose concert, we are deeply saddened by the loss of a fan’s life at Madison Square Garden…Our hearts go out to the family and friends of the concertgoer.”
Goose performed in Central Park the next night.
“We considered whether or not we were going to play and came to the decision that the best thing we can do right now is bring our community together, lean on one another, and offer a space for healing,” the band said.
“So let’s be kind to each other tonight and remember our friend.”
The group also announced that proceeds from the performance would be donated to a charitable fund that supports members of its fan community.
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