Candlelight vigil held for popular drag queen who died in fire

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This article was published 12/10/2009 (5913 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

WINNIPEG — About 100 people turned out for a  candlelight vigil tonight for Steven Yablonski,  a popular local drag queen, in front of the bath house where he and another man died Sunday in a fire. The crowd was about half women, half men.

Earlier, Yablonski’s mother remembered her son as “kind” and “compassionate.”

Steven Yablonski, 23, was one of two men who died in a suspicious blaze Sunday at the Aquarius Men’s Bath at 457 Notre Dame Ave.

Yablonski’s mother, Andrea, said her son loved to sing and dance at an early age.

“He had great stage presence,” she said. “Everyone loved his singing. You could see he was a true entertainer.”

Yablonski, also known as Kerri O’Kee, spent his childhood in and around Fraserwood amd Gimli, Man. He moved to Winnipeg two years ago and had been working at Pizza Hut. He had been planning to write and record a CD.

“I’ll miss him, his smile and hugs and kisses,” Andrea said. “He’s in a better place. He’s in heaven. He’s in peace.”

Meanwhile, Yablonski’s friends have been mourning his death on Facebook. (Click here for performance video at U of M)

By early Monday morning, a group on the popular social networking site had been set up for Yablonski. Over 300 people have joined so far.

“A true entertainer and a tragic loss,” wrote Stefan Maroni. “Always a smile on his face and a beautiful personality. You will be greatly missed.”

“No matter where he goes I’m sure he is singing,” said Ricardo Medeiros.

 One woman at the candlelight vigil placed a long-stemmed rose on the sidewalk for Yablonski. “I got yellow because it symbolizes courage,” she said.

People lit white candles and milled about quietly.  Someone was handing out a songsheet with the lyrics to Hero by Julio Iglesias to be sung later. “It was Steve’s favourite song,” one man explained.

“We’re here because this doesn’t make any sense at all. When that happens, we have to come together,” one many said, addressing the crowd.

“(Steve) loved doing charity work. He loved helping out as much as he could,” another man said.

The fire began about 7 a.m. Sunday on the second floor of the two-storey building, which includes an upstairs suite. One man was found dead at the scene, and the other was conveyed to hospital in critical condition and died shortly after.

The building formerly trained taekwondo students. It was remodeled into a bathhouse. It served men only on Tuesdays and Thursdays and was co-ed other days.

“Like most small towns best crowd is on the weekends,” it advertised on a web site. It also advertised a bondage room.

The fire is being considered suspicious, said a police spokesman.

The building is on the north side of Notre Dame between Gertie and Harriet streets, near the Balmoral Hotel.

A tenant in an apartment across the street witnessed the fire. “I heard glass breaking. It was a pretty big show. Just blazing,” said the tenant.

Early damage estimates are $300,000 to the building and $200,000 to contents. The fire was contained to the second floor.

Cause of the fire is unknown. Winnipeg police and the arson squad are investigating.

city.desk@freepress.mb.ca