Morbid Angel, Revocation, and Skeletal Remains have shared GoFundMe pages for victims of the tragic roof collapse at the Apollo Theater on Friday (March 31st) in Belvidere, Illinois.
Fifty-year-old Fred Livingston Jr. died and 48 others were injured when a severe storm ripped through the area on Friday night, shortly after opening act CRYPTA had just played their set at the Apollo had began. A tornado warning was in place when the roof of the venue collapsed on those inside while sending the marquee and facade crashing to the ground in front of the venue.
Morbid Angel shared a GoFundMe for Livingston Jr. and a short statement on Facebook: “We want to personally send our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of our deceased brother in Metal, Fred Livingston Jr. Anyone who wants to help or show support to the family may do so below.”
As of this posting, more than $38,000 has been raised for the family of Livingston Jr., surpassing the initial goal of $20,000. Revocation, who were a part of the tour package for the Apollo show, also shared the GoFundMe for Livingston Jr. and a GoFundMe for another victim named Michelle, who sustained serious injuries in the roof collapse and will require surgery.
The band wrote on Facebook: “Please donate if you can. If you can’t please share the links to help the families of those affected.”
The National Weather Service confirmed 12 tornadoes in Illinois on Friday, including an EF-1 tornado in the Davis Junction-Belvidere area. An EF-1 tornado near Belvidere traveled nearly 28 miles within just 25 minutes, with peak winds of 100 MPH and a max width of 900 yards.
On Sunday (April 2nd), Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Belvidere Mayor Clint Morris assessed the damage at the Apollo as crews continued cleaning up the rubble. According to officials, all those who were inside the theater have been accounted for. It remains unclear if the roof caved in or was torn off, per ABC7 Chicago.
Pritzker has issued an emergency proclamation to unlock immediate resources for communities across Illinois impacted by the tornadoes and severe weather, including Belvidere.