NEED TO KNOW
A 36-year-old man died after collapsing during a music festival mounted by the Australian rock group King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard in Colorado, authorities said.
Chaffee County Coroner Jeff Graf identified the victim as Mathew Gawiak of Denver, The Mountain Mail and Ark Valley Voice reported.
The incident occurred on Friday, Aug. 15, on the first night of King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard’s Field of Vision festival at Meadow Creek in Buena Vista, Westword reported.
In an email to PEOPLE on Wednesday, Aug. 20, Chaffee County Sheriff Andy Rohrich confirmed the death and that the autopsy has been completed. He deferred any further questions to Graf.
The Chaffee County Coroner did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment. Graf told The Mountain Mail that toxicology reports can take between 6-8 weeks to process.
In the wake of Gawiak’s death, the band shared a statement sending their condolences to his loved ones.
“We are deeply saddened to share that on Friday night a member of our community passed away due to an unexpected medical event despite the best efforts from emergency teams,” read a statement from the band shared with PEOPLE on Wednesday, Aug. 20.
“We send our love and condolences to their family, friends, and all who are impacted by this loss. In moments like these, we are reminded of the importance of showing up for one another and are profoundly grateful for the compassion and care shown by so many,” their statement concluded.
On the last night of the three-day festival, the band acknowledged Gawiak’s passing and performed two songs in his memory.
Gawiak’s wife, Allison Zangle, described Gawiak as a wonderful husband in an email to PEOPLE. She wrote that she had earlier reached out to King Gizzard’s management to see if the group would pay tribute to Gawiak.
“My entire family and those who were with Matt when he passed away at the concert all got together to watch the live stream,” Zangle wrote. “I was incredibly moved by the band’s tribute and it helped me to find some peace.”
She confirmed a Reddit post written by Gawiak’s brother Christopher, which detailed what happened at the show. He recalled that Gawiak felt dizzy during a performance of a King Gizzard song, As his friends were escorting him out, Gawiak collapsed and became unresponsive.
Zangle added that two anesthesiologist physicians were in the crowd and initiated CPR.
She has organized a GoFundMe to pay for his funeral costs. As of Thursdayy, Aug. 21, over $57,000 has been raised.
“Matt was a loving and beloved husband, son, brother, uncle and friend,” she wrote on the fundraiser description. ”He was the love of my life and my best friend, he was the kindest most genuine person that I’ve ever met. His passions included playing guitar, camping, skiing, traveling, cooking, live music, and above all else, sharing those experiences with the people he loved.”
Zangle said that Gawiak received his master’s degree and was a geospatial scientist, and that his life’s mission was to make the people he loved happy.”
She added, “I find some peace knowing that he was surrounded by music and a community that was special to him and that he was truly happy in the moments before he tragically passed away.”
Zangle further told PEOPLE that she hopes to channel her energies to prevent another tragedy that happened to her husband. “As a healthcare provider,” she wrote, “I would like to find a way to use my knowledge in this field to streamline healthcare for adults who had cancer as children.”
