The stars of ABC’s “9-1-1” are helping raise funds for the family of Rico Priem, a veteran who died in a car crash Saturday morning after working 14 hours on location for the first responder show.
So far, more than $46,000 has been raised, far exceeding the $25,000 goal.
Peter Krause, who plays Capt. Bobby Nash, donated $2,500 while Kenneth Choi (Howie “Chimney” Han) and Aisha Hinds (Henrietta “Hen” Wilson) each donated $1,000. More than 550 people have donated, some anonymously.
Priem’s nephew, Tim Moriarty, organized the fundraiser. “Rico was a true legend in the film and television industry,” Moriarty wrote on the GoFundMe page, noting that Priem had “30 years in the industry and over 75,000 hours of work.”
Moriarty continued, “Many people have told me that he was the best in the business. He always made sure to take care of all of his crew members, as well as connect with everyone working around him on set. He could tell you stories for days, and his relationships were so deep with everyone whose hearts he touched!”
He added that Prime had “a heart of gold and a work ethic as strong as rock.” Priem has since filed for retirement.
Angela Bassett, who played Sergeant Athena Grant in the series, told E.T. “The studio, ‘9-1-1,’ we all send our deepest condolences to his friends and family. It’s just a very, very sad moment. We’re all in shock about it, for sure,” she told the outlet. The cast and crew came together to remember Priem on set. “We just needed to take a moment, just take a moment, take a moment. We thought it was important to come together and serve and do whatever we can for his family, because we know we’re going to miss him, but we know they’re going to miss him even more.”
