DENVER -- The iconic Denver beer vendor who goes by "Captain Earthman" and has become a fixture at Coors Field is battling brain cancer.
Brent Doede, a.k.a. Captain Earthman, has been selling beer, peanuts and Cracker Jacks at Rockies games for 21 seasons.
He started vending in 1986 as a way to get into events for free, but his signature style has since become a way of life.
"I like to sell. I found out after gravel, construction, 9 to 5, it sucked," he said. He eventually making his sales gig a full-time job. "I just went out and performed. It just became natural."
His wife of nearly 30 years, Becky Scharfenberg, said she noticed something was wrong two weeks ago after he came home from working a game.
"He asked me to come get him, but he didn't know where he was," said Scharfenberg. "And his speech was... stranger than it usually is. He was babbling."
She said doctors soon found two stage-IV tumors.
"They are inoperable," said said. "This blindsided all of us."
Doctors did say that all those years of climbing stairs and being active may help him get through the chemo and radiation treatments.
He just wants to get back to his fans.
"An 8-year-old kid dressed up like me for Halloween: mustache, hat, glasses. It was freakin' phenomenal," he said with a laugh. "I've had a great life. I'm on my third, fourth version. It's been one wild trip."
His family has started a GoFundMe page to raise money for medical expenses and to take Earthman to concerts.
The family has been posting updates here: https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/earthman
They are also hosting a party for people who want to see him and tell him what he's meant to them on Sept. 25 from 2-6 p.m. at Taunaz Tavern, located at 10480 Ralston Road in Arvada.
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