1. Upon the receipt of the proper proof that the death of a member in service was the natural and proximate result of an event occurring within the performance of duty or of an occupational disease arising out of and in the course of such member’s employment, there shall be paid to the surviving spouse, or if there be no surviving spouse, then to the child or children of such member under the age of twenty-one years and those, if any, over the age of twenty-one years if mentally or physically incapacitated from wage earning, in equal shares or divided between or among them as the retirement board in its sole discretion shall direct, the sum of fifty thousand dollars.

2. If a member dies in such manner that a surviving spouse or child would be entitled to benefits under this section but there is no surviving spouse or child eligible to receive payments under this section, no payments under this section shall be paid.

3. Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, amounts payable under this section shall not be subject to offset or reduction by amounts paid or payable under any workers’ compensation or similar law.