Paying tribute to Ryan 'Rhino' Fleming, the 'You Make It Easy' hitmaker recalls how he came to hire his longtime friend to always look out him and his family.
- Aug 30, 2021
AceShowbiz - Jason Aldean has paid tribute to the security guard who saved his life during the 2017 Route 91 festival shooting in Las Vegas.
The singer was onstage when a shooter overlooking the site opened fire on fans, forcing Aldean to cut his set short and run for cover. Ryan "Rhino" Fleming put his own life at risk to make sure the star got to safety.
"Man this is a hard post to write," Aldean posted on Instagram. "We lost one of our boys today. He was the person who pulled me offstage during the Route 91 shooting and put his life in danger to take care of me and my crew."
Aldean also posted an image of himself leaning on the shoulder of Fleming, his lifelong friend. 60 people were killed during the shooting on the Las Vegas Strip.
"He was a good man and an even better friend," Aldean added. "He was a bouncer at our favorite bar in Macon when he was 18, then went to work for the Sheriffs dept as he got older. When it came time for me to hire a security guy that I knew would always look out for me and my family, there was no question for me that person was Rhino."
Jason did not reveal the cause of his friend's death.
Also mourning the loss of Rhino was Aldean's wife Brittany Kerr. In a separate Instagram post, she wrote, "I can't believe I'm writing these words. Rheen, my buddy. What a ride we were on… traveling the world, joking every step of the way. I will love and miss you forever."
"Thank you for protecting us. You are family, forever and always. Our hearts are broken. I know you're up in heaven with your Mama and Poncho," she continued expressing her heartbreak. "Lord knows they've missed you. Till we meet again my friend. Love you so much."
