Heklina, San Francisco Drag Icon, Dies at 54
J. Kim Murphy Stefan Grygelko, a pillar of the San Francisco drag community who performed under the persona Heklina, was found dead Monday in London. Heklina was 54. Heklina was discovered by Peaches Christ (fellow drag performer Joshua Grannell) on Monday morning. The pair had been touring with their stage production “Mommie Queerest,” a parody of the 1981 cult feature “Mommie Dearest,” which was slated for a two-week run at the Soho Theatre. No official cause of death has been released. “I am shocked and horrified to bring this news to you. I am living in a real-life nightmare so forgive me if I don’t have all the answers just now. This morning, in London, England I went to collect my dear friend Heklina, who is costarring with me in a Mommie Queerest show here, and found her dead,” Peaches Christ wrote in a statement on social media. “Heklina is not just my best friend, but a beloved icon of our community. I am a mess.”