Scaccia collapsed on stage during a Rigor Mortis gig in Fort Worth, Texas, Dec. 22. The band’s Facebook page said his death was due to “atherosclerotic and hypertensive heart disease.”

Now Rigor Mortis/Warbeast frontman Bruce Corbitt is asking for fans to contribute to a fund set up to help his family.

“Mike Scaccia left this Earth doing what he loved to do,” Corbitt said. “Tragically, the music world has lost an extremely talented, gifted and unique guitar virtuoso. His music and his legend will live on forever. But a loving husband, father, son and brother etc. can never be replaced. Mike would be overwhelmed with this outpouring of emotion that has risen from his passing, but he would mainly be proud of the enormous support that everyone has shown towards his family during this devastating time in their lives.

“We can and we will make sure that Mike’s wife and his kids are taken care of. So, I would like to ask anyone that can make a donation … big or small … do it now. Please understand that this is what would mean the most to Mike.”

By suggestion of Housecore Records owner/Down singer Philip Anselmo, Warbeast is working on a song about Scaccia. The still-to-be-titled piece will be released along with a song Corbitt wrote about his brother Jeff Corbitt who passed away in 2005. The two songs will be released with a photo of Scaccia on one side, Jeff on the other.

Please follow this link for more information on how you can help out Scaccia’s family.

Meanwhile, Scaccia’s daughter Sarah is putting together a book to honor her father and is asking for people having personal stories about her dad to contact her at [email protected].