Belvidere roof collapse victim was hardworking family man
A Belvidere man killed after the roof collapsed at Belvidere's Apollo Theatre has been identified by his family.
Fred Livingston Jr., 51, of Belvidere, was one of more than 200 people attending a concert at the theater Friday night when severe storms caused the roof to collapse. Livingston was pronounced dead at the scene.
Related: Deadly roof collapse survivors describe chaos, rescue efforts at Belvidere theater
According to a GoFundMe page, Livingston was a father of three boys and a grandfather.
In a statement to the Rockford Register Star, the family said in part: "We are just still trying to understand how something so horrible could happen."
The family said Livingston was a hardworking family man with a sense of humor who loved cars and heavy metal music.
A total of 48 people were hurt in the collapse, according to the Belvidere Fire Department. The fire department said 24 people were taken to the hospital and while most were treated and released, five people were in critical condition as of Saturday morning.
According to Mercyhealth, 16 people from the roof collapse were taken to Mercyhealth Javon Bea Hospital-Riverside. Seven of those patients were admitted to the hospital.
As of Saturday afternoon, two patients were in fair condition and five were in good condition.
The National Weather Service confirmed Saturday the roof collapsed after a tornado ripped through the region.
The NWS said the EF-1 tornado touched down in Davis Junction, Illinois and moved northeast, moving through Winnebago and Boone counties.
The tornado had estimated peak winds of 100 mph, according to the weather service.
The tornado that struck the Apollo Theatre Friday night was one of several identified by the weather service on Saturday. Others included an EF-2 tornado near Amboy in Lee County; an EF-1 in West Brooklyn, also in Lee County; a not-yet-rated tornado near Baileyville, about eight miles south of Freeport; and EF-1 in Machesney Park and a not-yet-rated tornado near Caledonia and Poplar Grove.
More: Everything you need to know about the Apollo Theatre in Belvidere
Services for Livingston have not been announced.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker visited downtown Belvidere Sunday to meet with local officials and residents and offer the state's support in the aftermath of Friday's Apollo Theatre roof collapse. Pritzker asked for a moment of silence for Livingston and prayers for other victims. He also offered gratitude and praise for those who helped during rescue efforts.
This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Fred Livingston Jr. killed after roof collapse at Apollo Theatre
