LGBTQ+ community rallying for hospitalized business owner’s recovery

SALT LAKE CITY — The LGBTQ+ community is supporting a beloved business owner this weekend, with a special event aimed to aid in his recovery.

The business owner’s spouse is thankful for the support, and feels grateful for the people who saved his husband’s life when they jumped in to perform CPR so quickly.

Riley Richter co-owns Club Verse with his husband, Micheal Repp.

Usually, Club Verse general manager Amanda Hager, said customers can find Richter behind the bar counter serving up drinks. She said people will wait in line just so he can be the one to serve them.

“Everybody loves Riley,” she said. “Riley is such a huge part of this community, and a huge part of the draw to the bar.”

But for the past couple of weeks, Richter’s been hospitalized after suddenly collapsing at the Salt Palace.

Repp said he got a call mid-morning on August 7 that paramedics were performing CPR on his husband. He rushed over to see Richter on the ground, lifeless.

“The most horrifying thing is watching your partner be resuscitated,” he said. “It is an image that you will never erase from your life.”

He said Salt Palace staff members began CPR and used a defibrillator once, before paramedics used it two more times to bring Richter back to life.

Richter was then taken to the University of Utah Hospital, where Repp said his husband was admitted into cardiovascular intensive care. He was fully intubated and placed into a coma.

Repp said he would learn that Richter suffered “sudden cardiac death.” There were no warning signs and no indication it was coming, he said.

“It’s just this weird medical phenomenon where the heart just says, ‘I’m going to take a break,’ and it just absolutely stops working without notice,” Repp said.

‘Praying for Riley’

Repp has been by his husband’s side for 12 to 14 hours every day since, and both have been absent from Club Verse.

It left the well-known LGBTQ+ establishment scrambling to fill their roles, especially Richter’s.

Employees and other community members stepped up, Repp indicated, working countless hours and reaching out for support.

“Our staff has been instrumental and community members have been instrumental,” Repp said. “We’ve had some satellite bartenders come in who bartended for us so that our staff could take a break.”

Richter, Repp said, has been serving the LGBTQ+ community for more than 20 years, inviting in those without families, and creating a chosen family with a strong bond.

Hundreds have sent texts of concern, Repp explained, offering love and well wishes.

“He’s super well-known in our community, super vibrant throughout the city, and has had such an impact on so many different people that the support has been overwhelming,” Repp said, of his husband.

Hager said the club has had a “different vibe” without Richter, but that so many have shown up bringing flowers, cards, and gifts.
“People are coming in and asking and, you know, kind of checking on him constantly,” she said.

She said other bars and restaurants have sent their condolences as well.

“Just that they’re praying for Riley, and they just can’t believe this has happened. And, positive thoughts,” Hager said.

People have turned those thoughts into action and will come together to hold a benefit for Richter at Club Verse on Sunday, complete with a silent auction featuring items donated by local businesses and organizations.

The even will also include drag performances and live DJs.

“The amount of support that has come in the form of donations, or volunteering to come and work an event, has been phenomenal,” Repp said.

Saved by citizen CPR

Repp described how at first, he had no idea if Richter would even survive. But about six days into his hospitalization, Richter opened his eyes, showing life.

On day ten, Repp said his husband was able to start speaking.

Richter’s first words, Repp said, were to ask about Club Verse regulars.

“His own welfare still came second to their well-being and their time of sadness for him. He still wanted to know how they were,” Repp said. “That’s who he is.”

It’s still uncertain what recovery will look like. Repp said Richter lost a lot of memory and now struggles with short-term memory. He injured his head when he fell to the ground.

But, Repp is just glad his husband is alive.

He is grateful for Jamie, the Salt Palace staff member who Repp said is a personal friend of Richter’s, for knowing CPR and being able to start performing it immediately.

Repp also talked about the fact that staff members were quick to use the defibrillator on Richter before EMS arrived.

“The critical thinking the Salt Palace showed was substantial to saving Riley’s life, and bringing him to where we are today,” Repp said.

He’s now urging others to learn CPR, saying that it increases survival rate and saves lives that otherwise might be lost by the time first responders arrive.

“Just knowing that there is somebody out there who saved his life, has given me an opportunity to be with him,” Repp said.

Richter is slowly becoming more mobile, and Repp is hopeful his husband will eventually be able to be transferred to a rehabilitation facility.

“We’re hoping we get this really great percentage of Riley coming back,” Repp said. “And we’re on a trajectory that says yes to that.”

Until then, he’s looking toward the benefit, as the couple feels the love of everyone coming together.

“We’re just asking everybody to keep Riley in their prayers,” he said. “And come out and support him on Sunday.”

Keep Calm and Pump On for Riley’s Cardiac Recovery will take place at Club Verse on Sunday, Aug. 25, at 4 p.m.