A fan favorite comedian recently showed incredible kindness by supporting a fan who had recently lost his wife.
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At a recent performance at Sacramento’s Punch Line Comedy Club, stand-up comedian Gary Owen shared a poignant moment with the audience. He revealed that a fan named Rudy Escalante had reached out to him just two days after the heartbreaking loss of his wife. In an incredible display of resilience, Escalante still chose to attend the show, finding solace in laughter despite the difficult time.
During the set, Owen asked Escalante about the cost of the funeral. Escalante replied, “around $1,600 for the cremation and everything.”
“I’ll go ahead and cover it for you,” Owen shot back in the footage (which ends with some NSFW hijinks, btw). Escalante went on stage to hug the comedian and showed a tattoo of his wife. He has been married for 18 years, and the couple has two daughters, aged 13 and 16.
When Owen inquired whether $1,600 would be sufficient to cover all expenses, Escalante responded, “Everything helps. I took a month off of work just to be with the girls and all that.”
Meanwhile, Escalante has organized a GoFundMe campaign to raise $13,000 for Gutierrez’s celebration of life, scheduled for Saturday. The fundraiser has already surpassed its goal, collecting over $14,000 to date.
Fan Thanks Comedian for Kind Gesture After Wife Passes Away
After the stand-up show, Escalante expressed his gratitude on Instagram, thanking Owen for his thoughtful gesture.
“Gary Owens, you are a real one, Big Dawg,” he wrote alongside a snapshot of himself with the comedian. “What you did last night for me and my family will never be forgotten. Kim is looking down, smiling on you.”
“All I wanted was a picture, and you blessed us with a gift like that, unbelievable. One love, big dawg,” he added.
Owen’s tour is in full swing and runs through December, with upcoming stops in New York, Atlanta, Washington, D.C., Columbus, Richmond, and beyond.