SAN JOSE — Richard Perez, a well-known and beloved member of the Sharks organization for over two decades, died Tuesday after he fell ill earlier this month with a bacterial infection.
He was 64.
Perez, a Gilroy native, became ill on April 2 and had been in intensive care for the last three weeks. An April 21 post on a GoFundMe page that had been set up by friends of Perez stated that the infection had attacked his brain. At that time, Perez, who did not have any previous underlying conditions, had been on a ventilator.
According to his nephew, A.J. Perez, Rich twice tested negative for the coronavirus and needed two spinal tap procedures to determine the cause of the illness. He was later diagnosed with encephalitis.
Using social distancing guidelines, members of Rich’s family and several of his friends came to see him over the weekend at the hospital he was at in Fremont.
“My dad and (Rich) were very close, and they talked a couple days before he fell ill,” A.J. Perez said. “He said he had a headache, but that was it. He wouldn’t go to the doctor, didn’t think anything of it.”
According to a 2011 article in the Gilroy Dispatch, Perez, nicknamed “Mr. Mayor,” attended Gilroy High School and Gavilan College before he went to Heald College, where he studied to become a field engineer technician. He worked in that field for over a decade before the company he worked for relocated to Texas.
Perez instead remained in California, and soon applied for a job at San Jose’s new downtown arena. Perez would first work as an usher in the building for roughly three years before in 1996 he became a mail room coordinator for the Sharks, two positions that allowed him to get to know almost everyone in the organization.
“He literally was engaged with everybody who came into that building,” said Jim Sparaco, the Sharks’ director of public relations, who knew Perez for 25 years. “Every employee who came in over the last 25 years, there was no way that you could get around knowing Rich Perez.”
As an usher, Perez was assigned to watch the Sharks’ locker room, which gave him a chance to meet coaches, players and their families.
Sharks broadcaster Jamie Baker, who played 186 regular season games for the team in the 1990s, said Perez would keep his family company while they waited for him to come out of the locker room after games.
“I used to come out and he’d be holding my daughter Reilly,” Baker said.
Baker said Perez would also take care of his friends and the friends of other players when they came to a game. Ever now and then, Baker would try to show his appreciation with a small tip.
“And he would always say no,” Baker said. “I feel a little nick in my soul today. Rich never cared about stature. He greeted everybody the same. He was always happy to see you.”
Former Sharks coach Kevin Constantine thought Perez was a good luck charm, and brought him with the team on the road for the 1995 postseason. The Sharks beat the Flames in the first round, winning the decisive Game 7 in Calgary in double overtime on a goal by Ray Whitney.
“It was kind of like he had two families. The Sharks and his own personal family down in Gilroy,” Baker said. “He carved out a life that he loved, that he was proud of. He didn’t have a desire for more, because he had everything he needed. I loved him.”
Before Joe Thornton played his first home game for the Sharks in 2005, Thornton’s parents, Mary and Wayne, arrived at the arena several hours early and were hoping to get a look inside the building. After they were initially turned away, Perez stepped in and gave the couple a tour.
“Richie showed them around,” Thornton told the Dispatch. “Ever since then, they love Richie.”
As of Tuesday afternoon, the GoFundMe account set up to help Perez’ family pay out-of-pocket medical expenses had raised over $77,000, well past the initial goal of $20,000. Several current and past Sharks players were among the over 400 people who donated to the fund, which was created April 17.
“Pretty much almost every former coach, a lot of former players and current players donated,” A.J. Perez said. “I was shocked. He was my godfather and I didn’t know what he meant to everybody.”
Late Tuesday afternoon, fund organizer Bob Sweeney posted that after medical related costs are paid, “the balance of the funds will be contributed to the (soon to be formed) Rich Perez Memorial Fund.”
I lost a dear friend today. He was beloved by many of us in Sharks Territory and beyond and we will all miss him dearly. RIP "Mr. Mayor!" We love you. @SanJoseSharks @NBCSSharks https://t.co/IVvLb8IpIy
— Randy Hahn (@sharkvoice) April 28, 2020
An avid golfer and a diehard fan of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Perez grew up as the 14th of 15 children in Gilroy, where he was proud to call home. The Perez’s were one of the first families that worked on a farm to also own a home in town.
After three people were killed and several others injured in a mass shooting at the Gilroy Garlic Festival in July 2019, the Sharks, led by captain Logan Couture, helped raise more than $42,000 for the Gilroy Foundation.
Perez was involved, helping to raise awareness and gather items that could be auctioned off at the fundraiser.
“Not only was Rich a Gilroy resident that was proud to work for the Sharks, Rich was a Sharks employee that was proud to be from Gilroy,” said Scott Emmert, Sharks’ vice-president of communications. “He wore that like a badge of honor.”
Richard Perez is survived by siblings Carmen Herman, Ralph Perez, Frankie Perez, Annie Arellano, Margaret Luna, Linda Miramontes, Nestor Perez, Gabriel Perez, Peter Perez, Andrew Perez and Steven Perez.