George Ward, better known as Cherry Valentine to his legion of followers, passed away at the young age of 28. After seeing Cherry on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK Season 2, this news hit the Drag Race community like a tonne of bricks. Cherry was as vivid and distinctive as the crimson she wore for the majority of her performances. The world has lost an undeniable talent and a kind heart who would have kept making a difference. What we know about her death is as follows.
Cherry Valentine Cause of Death
“It is with the most heart-wrenching and deepest sadness to inform you that our George — Cherry Valentine — has unfortunately passed away,” in a statement by George’s family.
“As his family, we are still processing his death and our lives will never be the same,” they added. “We understand how much he is loved and how many lives he has inspired and touched.”
There has been no formal announcement of the death’s cause as of this writing.
Cherry, who became a fan favorite after being ousted in Season 2 of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, became a popular favorite despite being eliminated that season. Her unforgettable performances and breathtaking good looks were certainly important, but it was her genuine nature that really connected with her audience. In addition to her drag act, Cherry worked as a mental health specialist for the National Health Service. She was there through thick and thin during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In an interview broadcast on the BBC in January 2021, Cherry reflected on the emotionally challenging year she spent working as a nurse during the pandemic’s peak. She was able to take some time to process what had happened once RuPaul’s Drag Race UK production was halted.
“I just wanted to go on and show wherever you come from, whoever you are, you can do whatever makes you happy,” she shared with the outlet. For Cherry, where she came from was a complicated conversation.
As of January 2022, you could watch a documentary about Cherry named Cherry Valentine: Gypsy Queen and Proud on BBC Three. Cherry was still George Ward at the age of 18 when she left the GRT group. After coming out as gay and experiencing widespread rejection, he found solace in the arms of Cherry Valentine. In a sense, George had an epiphany.
The documentary follows him as he considers going back to the town that shunned him.
George described the inner workings of the GRT community and why he felt compelled to make the documentary, “It’s very binary. The men are the men, and the women are the women and there’s no in-between, but we all know there’s a lot in between.”
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Based on the documentary‘s information, we learn that drag helped Cherry and other drag performers find acceptance in their communities. She was able to accept herself not only when she was wearing drag but also when she wasn’t.
George’s upbringing in a world of black-and-white alternatives influenced his later life and even his identity as Cherry. After being recruited to work at a COVID-19 vaccination center in drag, Cherry dresses as a gypsy for her job in Gypsy Queen and Proud. But as George says, “I’m mixing the two and I don’t know how to be. I don’t know how to act.”
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