Jesse Esquibel waited an hour with his three sons Tuesday morning outside Broncos Stadium before doors opened as the self-described superfan wearing an orange holographic mask, a No. 7 jersey with “Reaper” on the back, and holding a faux orange-and-blue sickle, walked in.

Esquibel goes by the nickname “Bronco Reaper” after surviving multiple brushes with death from medical emergencies. The Denver native rarely misses a home game and attends each in full costume. Broncos owner Pat Bowlen, 75, died last Thursday after a long battle with Alzheimer’s and Esquibel made sure to honor his memory by attending the public Bowlen tribute.

Esquibel was the first fan inside Broncos Stadium when doors opened at 10 a.m.

“It means everything to me,” he said. “ … I chose the reaper as to not be scared of death. I needed to show up today to show my respect for (Bowlen), who I call our father. And to also show that it’s OK to not be afraid of death.”

The free event drew more than 5,000 attendees and gave fans a rare opportunity to view Bowlen’s extensive collection of football and personal memorabilia. Members of the Bowlen family were in attendance and greeted fans. Former players such as John Elway, Peyton Manning, Rod Smith and Randy Gradishar also visited with the Bowlens.

Fans were led through a tour of the Club Level’s West Lounge where large display cases featured an array of Bowlen keepsakes: dozens of game balls, Super Bowl trophies, championship rings, Bowlen’s famous fur coat, photos with past presidents, signed jerseys of Hall of Famers who played for Bowlen and much more.

Elvin Devorss is a season-ticket holder and Denver native who marveled at Bowlen’s office desk display. On the near left corner was an orange-and-blue Broncos’ hard hat that matched the one atop his own head on Tuesday. Devorss wears it at every home game with his fan nickname “BRONCNATOR” emblazoned across the front.

“I’ve been in building construction my whole life and as soon as they came out with these (hard hats) it became part of my outfit,” Devorss said. “The fact that one sat on (Bowlen’s) desk … amazing.”

Josh Dunbar, another Coloradoan and lifelong fan, added: “I loved the golf clubs. (Bowlen) had Denver Broncos embroidered on the 3-wood.”

Many in attendance had cherished personal memories of Bowlen.

“I met him when I was a kid back in like 1986,” said Carlos Vargas. “(Bowlen) walked by me and I was trying to say hello. I was kind of screaming and he came back and said hi. That was something that stuck with me. That’s what made me a Broncos’ fan for life.”

One wall of the display offered fans the opportunity to write the Bowlen family hand-written notes on cards pinned to a corkboard. Most were short and sweet: Thank you, Mr. Bowlen, for building such a great organization that really pulled this community together. … You’re the best and will truly be missed more than you know. … Congrats on such a wonderful, blessed life Mr. B!

Kelli Wilzoch and Shelley Jacobs each penned personal messages. They’ve sat together for two decades at Broncos games and described the mood among fans in attendance as quiet while each took time to soak in Bowlen’s legacy. Their favorite items among the collection were photos of Bowlen through the years, and more specifically, images that captured the family man behind the legendary owner.

“I can remember watching the Broncos when they first started in the 1960s,” Jacobs said. “We thanked Pat for the great memories.”

The Broncos’ expectations for the tribute were exceeded as the line outside Broncos Stadium continued to grow as the 3 p.m. stop time rolled past. It lasted seven total hours. The outpouring of support was no surprise to Esquibel, the “Bronco Reaper,” whose game rituals put perspective on his own near-death experiences after suffering West Nile Virus and multiple heart attacks.

“My love of the Broncos has always been strong,” Esquibel said. “I’ve become good friends and almost family with a lot of the other superfans.”

He won’t soon forget Bowlen helped establish that culture in Broncos Country.