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Nathan Anthony “Nate” Bray

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Nathan Anthony “Nate” Bray

Birth
Circleville, Pickaway County, Ohio, USA
Death
8 Dec 2004 (aged 23)
Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio, USA
Burial
Circleville, Pickaway County, Ohio, USA Add to Map
Plot
Garden of Last Supper, Lot 8, Space 1
Memorial ID
View Source
From a young age, Nate had many interests. He was an avid sports player and fan, with a particular love of playing basketball. He had a sports card collection numbering in the thousands. Together with his father, he enjoyed golf and motorcycling. He also loved history and the out of doors. He loved heavy metal music, particularly Pantera and Darrell "Dimebag Darrell" Abbott (Find A Grave Memorial# 10061348); indeed, he had a large collection of Dimebag's guitar picks, which the musician would throw into the audience at concerts.

Nate attended Ohio University, with the goal of becoming a high school or college history teacher. It was there he met and fell in love with his wife, Kerri. The two had a son, Anthony, and Nate left college temporarily to work full time for Inside Outfitters, a window treatment company for which he had worked part time before college. Industrious, upbeat, and professional, Nate was an asset to the company.

On Dec. 8, 2004, Nate was excited about going with a friend to see Dimebag play with his new band, Damageplan, at the Alrosa Villa. Unknown to those attending, a mentally ill fan also came to the concert with the intent of murdering Dimebag and his brother, Vinnie Paul Abbott. He shot several people, killing Dimebag and three others, including Nate. Nate was one of several fans who tried to assist Dimebag on stage after he was shot. He attempted CPR, but soon realized Dimebag was fatally injured. Looking around, he spotted Damageplan jack-of-all-trades roadie, Jeffery Allan Thompson (Find A Grave Memorial# 57023089), who was also lying injured on stage. As he and others attempted to aid Thompson, the gunman reappeared, fatally shooting Nate. Sadly, Thompson also expired, in addition to venue roadie/security man Erin Halk (Find A Grave Memorial# 75699073).
Nate is remembered by family and friends as a beloved husband and father, a good friend, a kind, warm man, an a hero who died trying to save others.

Bio information taken from Chris Armold's book, "A Vulgar Display of Power – Courage and Carnage at the Alrosa Villa." Used with permission of the author.


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Mourners attend funeral of victim of Alrosa Villa nightclub shooting
Published: Sunday, December 12, 2004
Lubbock Online

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Mourners attended a funeral Saturday for one of the four victims of a nightclub shooting, a fan of "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott who a witness said had tried to save the heavy-metal guitarist.

While most concertgoers rushed for the exits after Abbott was shot by a longtime fan of his former group, Pantera, Nathan Bray jumped up on stage, held Abbott and tried to perform CPR, said Adam Vanover, 45, of Bellefontaine.

"When (Bray) looked up at the shooter that's when the shooter shot him," Vanover said.

Witnesses and police said a group of people tried to help those who had been shot after Abbott's band Damageplan began playing at Alrosa Villa on Wednesday night. Police shot and killed the gunman, Nathan Gale, 25, of Marysville.

About 200 people attended a private, two-hour service Saturday for Bray, 23, at a funeral home in his hometown of Circleville, about 30 miles south of Columbus.

"He'll be in my heart forever," family friend Sherri Jordan said afterward.

Another concertgoer, Billy Clark of New Carlisle, told the Springfield News-Sun for a story Saturday that after Abbott was shot, he jumped a railing and tried to pull the guitarist to safety, but he heard more gunfire and hid behind speakers.

Clark said he and some friends moved Abbott behind the speakers and they recruited others to carry him out of the club.

"I kept telling them that 'Dime' was still a target and we had to get him out of there," Clark said.

Columbus police spokesman Sgt. Brent Mull confirmed that fans and others attended to the victims before emergency crews arrived, but he could not comment on what happened before police got there.

Gale also killed Erin Halk, 29, a club employee who loaded band equipment, and band bodyguard Jeff Thompson, 40.

A band employee injured in the shooting, drum technician John Brooks, was released from Riverside Hospital on Friday. Tour manager Chris Paluska was in stable condition.

Linda Moore, 42, of Columbus, attended the concert with her 21-year-old son. She said she was about 10 feet to the side of the stage when Gale began shooting.

She said few people had a good view of what happened immediately after the shootings because towers of loudspeakers obscured the people onstage. She also was trying to get herself and her son out of the club.

She took issue with those who said they heard Gale yell at Abbott about the breakup of Pantera, his old band. She said the music was so loud, no one could hear anything else.

"You don't need anything to tell you that except what the science is of decibels," Moore said.
From a young age, Nate had many interests. He was an avid sports player and fan, with a particular love of playing basketball. He had a sports card collection numbering in the thousands. Together with his father, he enjoyed golf and motorcycling. He also loved history and the out of doors. He loved heavy metal music, particularly Pantera and Darrell "Dimebag Darrell" Abbott (Find A Grave Memorial# 10061348); indeed, he had a large collection of Dimebag's guitar picks, which the musician would throw into the audience at concerts.

Nate attended Ohio University, with the goal of becoming a high school or college history teacher. It was there he met and fell in love with his wife, Kerri. The two had a son, Anthony, and Nate left college temporarily to work full time for Inside Outfitters, a window treatment company for which he had worked part time before college. Industrious, upbeat, and professional, Nate was an asset to the company.

On Dec. 8, 2004, Nate was excited about going with a friend to see Dimebag play with his new band, Damageplan, at the Alrosa Villa. Unknown to those attending, a mentally ill fan also came to the concert with the intent of murdering Dimebag and his brother, Vinnie Paul Abbott. He shot several people, killing Dimebag and three others, including Nate. Nate was one of several fans who tried to assist Dimebag on stage after he was shot. He attempted CPR, but soon realized Dimebag was fatally injured. Looking around, he spotted Damageplan jack-of-all-trades roadie, Jeffery Allan Thompson (Find A Grave Memorial# 57023089), who was also lying injured on stage. As he and others attempted to aid Thompson, the gunman reappeared, fatally shooting Nate. Sadly, Thompson also expired, in addition to venue roadie/security man Erin Halk (Find A Grave Memorial# 75699073).
Nate is remembered by family and friends as a beloved husband and father, a good friend, a kind, warm man, an a hero who died trying to save others.

Bio information taken from Chris Armold's book, "A Vulgar Display of Power – Courage and Carnage at the Alrosa Villa." Used with permission of the author.


**************
Mourners attend funeral of victim of Alrosa Villa nightclub shooting
Published: Sunday, December 12, 2004
Lubbock Online

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Mourners attended a funeral Saturday for one of the four victims of a nightclub shooting, a fan of "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott who a witness said had tried to save the heavy-metal guitarist.

While most concertgoers rushed for the exits after Abbott was shot by a longtime fan of his former group, Pantera, Nathan Bray jumped up on stage, held Abbott and tried to perform CPR, said Adam Vanover, 45, of Bellefontaine.

"When (Bray) looked up at the shooter that's when the shooter shot him," Vanover said.

Witnesses and police said a group of people tried to help those who had been shot after Abbott's band Damageplan began playing at Alrosa Villa on Wednesday night. Police shot and killed the gunman, Nathan Gale, 25, of Marysville.

About 200 people attended a private, two-hour service Saturday for Bray, 23, at a funeral home in his hometown of Circleville, about 30 miles south of Columbus.

"He'll be in my heart forever," family friend Sherri Jordan said afterward.

Another concertgoer, Billy Clark of New Carlisle, told the Springfield News-Sun for a story Saturday that after Abbott was shot, he jumped a railing and tried to pull the guitarist to safety, but he heard more gunfire and hid behind speakers.

Clark said he and some friends moved Abbott behind the speakers and they recruited others to carry him out of the club.

"I kept telling them that 'Dime' was still a target and we had to get him out of there," Clark said.

Columbus police spokesman Sgt. Brent Mull confirmed that fans and others attended to the victims before emergency crews arrived, but he could not comment on what happened before police got there.

Gale also killed Erin Halk, 29, a club employee who loaded band equipment, and band bodyguard Jeff Thompson, 40.

A band employee injured in the shooting, drum technician John Brooks, was released from Riverside Hospital on Friday. Tour manager Chris Paluska was in stable condition.

Linda Moore, 42, of Columbus, attended the concert with her 21-year-old son. She said she was about 10 feet to the side of the stage when Gale began shooting.

She said few people had a good view of what happened immediately after the shootings because towers of loudspeakers obscured the people onstage. She also was trying to get herself and her son out of the club.

She took issue with those who said they heard Gale yell at Abbott about the breakup of Pantera, his old band. She said the music was so loud, no one could hear anything else.

"You don't need anything to tell you that except what the science is of decibels," Moore said.

Inscription

THE MEMORY STILL REMAINS
(song lyrics from "Cemetery Gates" by Pantera)
LOVING FATHER


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  • Created by: Cypress
  • Added: Aug 30, 2011
  • Find a Grave Memorial ID:
  • Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/75699582/nathan_anthony-bray: accessed ), memorial page for Nathan Anthony “Nate” Bray (8 Feb 1981–8 Dec 2004), Find a Grave Memorial ID 75699582, citing Heavenly Hills Cemetery, Circleville, Pickaway County, Ohio, USA; Maintained by Cypress (contributor 47408385).