A tragic incident unfolded in Arizona as a man eagerly anticipating fatherhood was killed by a single punch outside a bar, just weeks before his wife was expected to give birth.

Thomas John Pizzitola sustained a severe brain injury during a confrontation near Pattie’s First Avenue Lounge in Scottsdale at approximately 2 a.m. on October 11.

On October 22, police apprehended five suspects, including Drew Meneses, who is now facing a second-degree murder charge for allegedly delivering the deadly blow.

Authorities responded to a medical emergency call and discovered the 29-year-old lying unconscious on the pavement.

He was swiftly transported to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to police reports.

His pregnant wife Krisan noticed about 3.30am that his location had changed on his phone settings from the bar to the emergency room, prompting her to ‘drop everything and rush down there in [her] pajamas.’

Pizzitola and his two friends had been kicked out of the bar for being too rowdy, according to court records cited by Fox 10.

While outside, one of Pizzitola’s friends bumped into a woman, which started an argument with the group of five.

The tragic moment was captured on video and was shown in court by prosecutors.

Thomas John Pizzitola was killed by a single punch outside of a bar in Arizona just weeks before his wife, Krisan, was due to give birth

Drew Meneses, who faces a second-degree murder charge after he allegedly was behind Pizzitola and threw the fatal sucker punch

‘All he ever wanted to be was the best father ever and the best husband. But he wasn’t finished,’ said Krisan

‘During that cellphone video, what you can see is victim #1 standing with his arms to his side, and you can see the defendant walk up behind him and essentially sucker punch him in the head,’ Prosecutor Angela Andrews said.

The 24-year-old, who is held on a $1million bond, told the court: ‘It was a bad night. It was not supposed to happen like that at all, and there was no malicious intent for that at all.’

The other suspects include Julius Husser, 27, Krista Molina, 27, Tony Becker, 26, and Mark Whitford, 23, who each face varying degrees of assault charges.

A GoFundMe was launched on behalf of the Pizzitola family to support his widowed wife ahead of the arrival of their son.

The crowdfunding campaign has raised nearly $80,000 so far and donors have been asked to share the fundraiser as well.

‘I’m trying so hard not to be so angry at this situation and try to be the strong woman that he thinks that I am. All he ever wanted to be was the best father ever and the best husband. But he wasn’t finished,’ Krisan told Fox 10.

Krisan went on to share the last message she would get from her husband, revealing: ‘I texted him that I had gotten home, and he texted me back and said that he wished that I was there, but that he was so proud of me for staying home and taking care of our baby boy, and that he loved me.’

Krista Molina, 27, was one of the five suspects arrested in connection to Pizzitola’s death

Julius Husser, 27, accused of aggravated assault and assault

Pizzitola was an organ donor who helped to save five lives in his death, his family revealed.

He has been remembered as a good person and ‘pure light’ lost to a ‘senseless act of violence.’

His mother Gina wrote in a moving tribute that Pizzitola’s death had ‘changed [her] world forever.’ 

‘My beautiful son, TJ, was taken from us by a senseless act of violence, something no parent should ever have to experience,’ she wrote.

‘There are no words big enough to describe the pain, the heartbreak, or the emptiness that now lives in my heart.

‘TJ was pure light. He was joy, laughter, kindness, and compassion wrapped into one incredible soul. Everyone who met him loved him, truly loved him. He had this way of making you feel seen, valued, and cared for. To know TJ was to feel God’s love shining through him.

‘He leaves behind his beautiful wife, Krisan, and their unborn baby boy. My heart breaks knowing that his son will never get to feel TJ’s hugs or hear his laugh in person, but I promise, I will help Krisan raise that little boy to know exactly who his dad was. 

‘He will grow up hearing the stories, the laughter, the love, and the light that his father brought into this world. He will be a perfect little reflection of TJ, his ‘mini me.”

Tony Becker, 26, is accused of aggravated assault and assault

Mark Whitford, 23, is accused of aggravated assault

Gina said while she will ‘never understand why this happened’, she had put her faith in God to be with her ‘in the middle of this heartbreak.’

‘I pray He uses TJ’s story to awaken love and peace in this world to remind people to slow down, show grace, and cherish life,’ she wrote.

‘Even in death, TJ gave the ultimate gift. He saved five lives through organ donation; his heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, and pancreas are now giving others a second chance. That’s who my son was… selfless, generous, and full of life until the very end.’