Before family and friends say their final goodbyes to fallen Milwaukee Police Officer Matthew Rittner, dozens gathered Tuesday night at one of his favorite bar's on Milwaukee's east side.
Whether they were friends of Rittner's or strangers touched by his story, people met at Henry's to make sure Rittner's wife and young son have one less thing to worry about.
On the eve of Rittner's funeral, dozens reminisced about the life changing memories he made at Henry's from falling for a bartender to asking her to be his wife.
"She loved him, they loved their little boy, they were happy people," said Meghan Lafferty.
Lafferty was surrounded by a room full of bar regulars Tuesday night who were all on the same mission, to raise money for Rittner's wife and young son whose lives are forever changed.
"Something like this you can't plan for and you really hope it's just something she doesn't have to worry about," Lafferty said.
"It still brings me to tears, just disbelief," said Luke Mitchell.
Mitchell also met Rittner and his wife at Henry's.
"He was a pretty simple guy, kind of quiet, never got rambunctious or anything," Mitchell said.
He wants the Milwaukee community to know that if they can't contribute financially, simply remember the legacy Rittner leaves behind.
"A great police officer, a marine who gave the ultimate sacrifice, but he was also a good person," said Mitchell.
A Go Fund Me page set up to also raise money for Rittner's wife and son surpassed $50,000 on Tuesday.
