According to accounts, a prominent Philadelphia drag queen died after falling during her performance at a gay bar.
Valencia Prime, a 25-year-old transgender woman, fainted on stage while performing at Tabu Lounge and Sports bar on Monday, the bar’s owner told NBC News.
Asia Monroe said WPVI-TV that Prime was unresponsive when paramedics arrived at the scene. WPVI stated that the local medical examiner attributed her death to Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease (a form of heart disease) and natural causes.
“Today we grieve the death of a rising star in the performance community who was always full of love and positivity,” said Tabu Lounge in a statement. “As we bid farewell to Valencia Prime, we will never forget the brilliance you gave to the stage.”
A share from Valencia Prime (@valencia prime) on Twitter.
A GoFundMe for Prime’s family has earned over $13,000, and the bar announced on Instagram that they will be throwing a memorial event in his honor, with proceeds going to the family.
Other artists paid tribute to Prime, who described herself on Instagram as “Philadelphia’s Plus Size Dancing Diva” and said she couldn’t wait to “twirl for y’all” before her final performance.
“It happened so quickly,” Nikita Sinnn Monroe told WPVI. She was the first person to assist me realize I was transgender. “If you’ve never heard of Valencia Prime, you’ve never seen Philadelphia drag!” Monroe stated, according WPVI. Knowing that she is looking down on us from above, we will continue to perform because I know it is what she would want.