RuPaul’s Drag Race star Chi Chi DeVayne died on Thursday at age 34 while undergoing treatment for pneumonia, Out and production company World of Wonder report.
DeVayne, born Zavion Davenport, had spent weeks in the hospital and was previously hospitalized this summer for possible kidney failure, according to Out. Davenport was diagnosed with scleroderma, a condition that affects skin and connective tissues, in 2018.
Another Drag Race alumnus, Trinity K. Bonet, announced Davenport’s death on Instagram on Thursday.
“Well that just fucked my week up,” Bonet wrote. “My god… keep us covered and safe! Love you lil sister..rest on.”
Davenport was best known for appearing on season 8 of RuPaul’s Drag Race, on which he came in fourth place and wowed fans in a lip sync battle of Jennifer Holliday’s “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” against Thorgy Thor.
Davenport, who was from Shreveport, Louisiana, returned for RuPaul’s Drag Race All-Stars season 3 and came in eighth place.
RuPaul Charles, who is no longer on Twitter, issued a statement via the @RuPaulsDragRace account. “I am heartbroken to learn of the passing of Chi Chi DeVayne,” Charles wrote. “I am so grateful that we got to experience her kind and beautiful soul. She will be dearly missed, but never forgotten.”
On Twitter and the RuPaul’s Drag Race subreddit, fans and fellow drag queens paid tribute to Davenport.
“I’m literally so devastated and sick to my stomach,” All Stars season 5 winner Shea Couleé tweeted. “Wake me up when it’s all over.” Couleé had been selling photo prints to help support Davenport.
