Massachusetts

Fundraiser Held for Family of Buffalo Wild Wings Employee Killed in Chemical Incident

NBCUniversal, Inc.

The family of the Massachusetts man who died in a chemical incident at a Buffalo Wild Wings in November gathered Wednesday to support his grieving wife and son who was born a few months ago.

Ryan Baldera’s family and friends packed a Seekonk restaurant the 32-year-old worked at for years. They say it was a fitting tribute now that the young father is gone.

“This is what he liked doing,” his brother Cory said. “He enjoyed bringing people together.”

For Baldera’s family, the agony is still very real.

Baldera died on Nov. 7 after being overcome with toxic fumes in the kitchen of the Burlington Buffalo Wild Wings where he worked as general manager.

For family friends like Ray Craine, the suddenness of it all is still hard to process.

“It will take a long time to get past…out of nowhere,” Craine said. “It was Ryan trying to do the right thing, trying to help people out, and all of a sudden he is gone.”

Baldera’s brother says Wednesday’s fundraiser is just the kind of thing Baldera would have done for others.

“If you were down, he would bring you up,” Cory Baldera said. “He always brought me up and we will never forget him.”

Their hearts are still heavy but they gathered knowing Baldera is looking down and smiling.

“He was just an all-around good guy,” Craine said. “There just wasn't anything bad to say about the guy.”

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