PHILADELPHIA (JTA) — Mark Weiner, a prominent Rhode Island Democratic fund-raiser and close friend of the Clintons, died on the day he hoped to watch Hillary Clinton secure the Democratic nomination for the presidency.

Weiner, who was Jewish and who manufactured paraphernalia for the Democratic National Committee and was a former chairman of the state Democratic Party, was 62 when he died Tuesday, The Associated Press reported. He was suffering from leukemia.

Weiner, who met Hillary Clinton in 1976 while volunteering for Jimmy Carter’s presidential campaign, had been elected a delegate to the convention in Philadelphia and hoped to see Hillary Clinton nominated. Because he was ailing, his wife replaced him.

Bill Clinton, the former president, broke away from his prepared speech to remember Weiner, saying that he and his wife had cried in the morning when they heard the news. Bill Clinton had traveled to Newport two weeks ago to spend five hours with Weiner, WPRI reported.

Weiner is survived by his wife, Susan, who replaced him as a delegate, and four children.