A spectator killed by an errant weight in a hammer throw event at a youth track and field meet was a dedicated father and husband with a great sense of humor, relatives said.

The accident Sunday at the Colorado United Track Club meet at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs campus killed Wade Langston, 57, of Colorado Springs, the El Paso County coroner’s office said Tuesday.

“He was a truly wonderful person who brought laughter to every room he entered,” wrote niece-in-law Tamara Rocha for a GoFundMe effort.

The funds will help Langston’s son, a high school senior, with college tuition, according to the post.

The weight cleared “certified barriers” before striking Langston in a fieldhouse at the University of Colorado’s Colorado Springs campus, according to a university statement.

Firefighters pronounced Langston dead at the scene. Witnesses reported Langston trying to shield his wife and son from the incoming weight.

Fatal accidents at such competitions are rare but not unheard of.

— The Associated Press