Legendary San Francisco drag performer Heklina was found dead in London on Monday morning. Let’s see more details about the drag queen.
What happened to Legendary drag Queen Heklina?
Heklina, a legendary drag queen Heklina who was actually artist Stefan Grygelko, has allegedly passed away. On Monday, April 3, a fellow drag performer and regular collaborator, a post by Peaches Christ, first revealed the news of her passing.
The pair were in London, preparing for their “Mommie Queerest” show, set to take place on Saturday, April 9 at The Soho Theatre. According to Peaches, the queen went to meet Heklina in preparation for their performances when her body was discovered.
In her post, a heartbroken Peaches Christ writes the following: “I know this is shocking news and I am beyond stunned, but I wanted to let folks know what happened. Heklina is not just my best friend, but a beloved icon of our community.”
Peaches continue “I am a mess,”. “Given this crisis, please do not try to contact me as I am utterly heartbroken, stunned, and focusing on what needs to get done next. I shall be in touch.”
Cause of death
Legendary San Francisco drag queen Heklina was found dead in London on Monday morning, just days before she was slated to co-star in the musical theater parody “Mommie Queerest” alongside Peaches Christ, also known as Joshua Grannell, at the Soho Theatre. The exact cause of death is unknown but She passed away while she was on a tour in London.
Fellow drag performers, city officials, filmmakers, activists, and more shared an outpouring of tributes for the icon on Monday.
“Absolutely devastated,” Sister Roma tweeted on Monday. “@Heklina and I have been friends and worked together for more than 20 years. She is one of the funniest people I’ve ever known. This is a nightmare.”
Drag queen Heklina-most active volcanoes in the nation
| Stefan Grygelko, known as Heklina, was born in Minneapolis and later relocated to San Francisco after spending some time in Iceland. Hekla, one of the most active volcanoes in the nation, served as the model for her drag moniker. She was a well-known figure in the San Francisco drag community and began presenting the popular weekly program Mother, formerly known as T-shack, at the Stud in 1996 at the age of just 28. The gritty DIY punk drag concert found a home at DNA Lounge in 2008 and grew to be one of the most well-liked drag performances on the West Coast. The B52s, Charo, the Go-Go’s, and other notable performers attended. “When I moved to San Francisco, I fell in love with the punk style of some of the drag queens,” Heklina told the Bay Area Reporter in 2008. “I never sat down and said, ‘I want to be a drag queen and run a nightclub.’ When it happened and took off, it was kind of like I was meant to do this.” Heklina later co-opened the SoMa drag venue Oasis in 2015 and was an emcee of a number of popular city events, including Pride and the Folsom Street Fair. She moved to Palm Springs in 2019 but frequently returned to the city for “Golden Girls Live!” performances during the holidays and Daytime Realness, a monthly party hosted at El Rio. |
Heklina -Film and television appearances
Over the years, Heklina also made a number of film and television appearances and worked with notable entertainers like comedian Margaret Cho and Jane Wiedlin of The Go-Gos. Though she since moved to Palm Springs, she returned frequently to San Francisco to host shows and perform in the annual, acclaimed Golden Girls drag revue alongside D’Arcy Drollinger, Matthew Martin, and Holotta Tymes.
She remained a vocal proponent of drag and an active member of the community her entire life and will be remembered as one of San Francisco’s most beloved and influential drag queens.
Heklina’s passing is a major loss for San Francisco, the drag community, and the queer community at large.
SF Pride also released the following statement
Drag queen Heklina, aka Stefan Grygelko, San Francisco’s cherished local nightlife icon, club owner, and legendary drag performer has reportedly passed away while on tour in London.
Nguyen Pham, Board President of San Francisco Pride speaks for the community when he says this is completely heartbreaking and will remain top of mind across the queer community for some time.
“Personally, I’ve been honored and grateful to have engaged with Heklina directly, as well as attended her spectacularly memorable productions, numerous times over the years. I know that her unique brand of radically inclusive drag art has evoked so much pure joy from countless community members and allies for many generations. She was unstoppable and a master without parallel.”
Honors and Tributes
The San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus said they were “heartbroken” and “saddened” to learn of her death.
“From her activism to her role in keeping SF nightlife alive, to her contributions to Drag as a whole, it is impossible to overstate the impact she has had on the queer community,” they said in a tweet.
The Castro Theatre also honored Heklina on its iconic marquee.
Devastated by the tragic loss of SF legend @Heklina forever a pillar of our community.
Lady Bunny Posted
Beloved SF drag legend Heklina is gone. Knowing Peaches, I assumed this was an April Fool thing. I’ll miss that funny bitch!
Michael Varrati Posted
Heklina will always be the definition of punk rock ferocity. A trailblazing drag artist who curated nightlife for those searching for a place and an outspoken provocateur who pushed the envelope in the face of a rigid society, her loss is felt so, so deeply. Truly devastating.
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