BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- The Red Lobster is a place for family and friends to come together and enjoy a meal. The restaurant is also a family of workers who are dealing with the loss of one of their own. On Saturday, Rigoberto Martinez was killed when a stack of TNT firework booths he was helping to breakdown and store collapsed on top of him.

“He screamed out Leo, when I went to see he was lying on the ground. We tried to lift the 10 to 12 booths that fell… it was so heavy, but eventually we got him out," said his cousin, Leovardo Baustista.

Martinez was rushed to Kern Medical Center where he later died. His death was a blow to employees at the Red Lobster where Martinez worked as a dishwasher.

"He had a great personality. He always had a smile on his face. He was such a great breath of fresh air," said Richard Newton. Newton is the manager at the restaurant. Employees are collecting recyclables and cash donations to help send Martinez’s body back to Mexico for burial.

"Our family wants to see him and bury him at home," said Antonio Martinez.

The family needs to raise nearly $4,000 to ship Martinez's body to Vera Cruz, Mexico.

Antonio Martinez and his brother came to the U.S. two years ago to help their struggling family in Mexico.

Rigoberto Martinez was attending English classes at Bakersfield Adult School while he worked at the restaurant and other jobs around town. He had plans to return to Mexico one day with the money he had saved.

" He came here with a single goal, not to have fun or visit places, he wanted to help his family because life is Mexico is so hard," said his friend and fellow co-worker, Juan Teodoro.

If you’d like to help out, the Red Lobster will be accepting recyclables and cash donations on Monday and Tuesday this week.

CAL/OSHA is investigating the accident.

A spokesperson for TNT Fireworks said they are prepared to offer assistance to the family and are cooperating with the investigation.