Family, friends & community honor death of Gold Mine tour guide with procession in Cripple Creek

CRIPPLE CREEK, Colo. (KRDO) - On Thursday, well over 100 people gathered to remember the life of the tour guide who tragically died in the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine when an elevator malfunctioned, in mid-October.

It was a day that brought together so many different groups of people, who all say they had the honor of having 46-year-old Patrick Weier in their lives. College baseball teammates, community members in Cripple Creek and Victor, as well as family, paid tribute to the man they all loved dearly.

The procession beginning at 10 a.m., moved down several blocks of downtown Cripple Creek, with dozens of first responders within Teller County, mixed with friends, family, and community members who marched in line with them.

Local businesses and residents lined the streets. Some were moved to tears looking on, others placing their hands or hats over their hearts.

A ceremony was then held at Cripple Creek City Park, where the procession ended, which gave the opportunity for those who knew Weier to share cherished stories and memories.

"It might have only taken you one time to meet Patty to realize what a huge loss that was." stated Tijl van der Wege, a former college baseball teammate of Weiers in Illinois.

Many of those like van der Wege reflected on the great memories formed with Weier while he lived in Chicago with his brother John, also present at the ceremony on Thursday.

"I was always jealous of Patty, [because] I consider myself to be a really good guy. We had amazing parents. And we were raised right. There's been so many times throughout life where I've seen Patty do or say something and I've been like, I would have never done, or said that, like he you made you at times feel like a bad person, because he was that good of a person." said John Weier of his younger brother, just one of seven siblings.

Many echoed on Thursday morning that the 46-year-old was a diehard Chicago Cubs and Chicago Bears fan, so much so that brother John, and multiple friends were seen wearing Bears jerseys, or Cubs hats at the ceremony.

Some other teammates from Weier's baseball days explained what they'll miss the most about the beloved Teller County transplant, who they say was always thinking of his friends:

"It was always great to see that [text] every morning, just to say, you know, Otis, Otis, where are you and where are you at these days? And I travel a lot, so it's going to be hard to wake up to those text messages not there anymore." explained Otis Varner, a former teammate and friend who attended hundreds of Cubs and Bears games with Weier over the years.

Varner adding, the somber realization, that he won't get to attend another game with "Patty", just as many others called Weier on Thursday.

"We were supposed to go see the Bears [versus] Arizona [Caridinals] game in three weeks, and that was going to be a special moment for all of us to get back together again. So, sports were always our lives with us, and I know that will keep us together forever," explained Varner, who spoke with KRDO13 after the ceremony. "I'm a Bears season ticket holder so I know when I get back there, the next Bears game, I'm going to have a flag there, flying for Patty." he said with a grin.

KRDO13 has learned that when Weier's funeral is held in the near future, it will be closed to the public.

In the meantime, a fundraiser has been started by brother John for Patrick's son's future, which has seen major support for the community. If you'd like to contribute, you can click here.