Kyriakos Vogiatzakis remembered as generous and passionate during vigil

A beloved member of both the St. James and Greek communities of Winnipeg was remembered Sunday evening.

Hundreds of supporters with lit candles gathered in the parking lot of the Cork & Flame restaurant for a vigil, paying respects to owner Kyriakos Vogiatzakis.

The 51-year-old Vogiatzakis died on Jan. 24 following a confrontation with another man outside the Portage Avenue business.

Curtis Ross Dalebozik, 38, is charged with manslaughter. Winnipeg police have said he was known to loiter around the restaurant, although it's not known how many times he and Kyriakos might have interacted before Wednesday.

Tina Fulcher went to school with one of Vogiatzakis' older brothers, and knew him for more than 40 years, often visiting him at Cork & Flame.

She called him a close family friend, an active church member and important member of the Greek community.

Fulcher is still in disbelief over his death.

"This is a shock. It's unnecessary and I'm glad people are here to commemorate his memory," she said as tears welled in her eyes, adding she will remember his smile, generosity and kindness.

"He had a golden heart."

Vogiatzakis donated an estimated 300 baskets for a food drive for families in need during last year's Christmas holidays, Fulcher said.

Mike Vogiatzakis, one of Kyriakos' three older brothers, echoed that description of Kyriakos' heart.

"He had passion for people. He was the most kindest, most amazing guy you could ever meet in your life. He would give the shirt off his back if he saw somebody that was struggling."

Kyriakos was a character who liked to play practical jokes and could be defined by three things: community, love and family, Mike said.

"He treated everybody as family. He was a guy that just had a range of passion in his soul and I don't think there will be another person like him again," Mike said. "He was an angel."

The outpouring of support for the Vogiatzakis family has been incredible, Mike added.

"It's been overwhelming. People have touched our hearts in so many different ways."

Despite the swath of public support, the past few days have been devastating for the family and filled with anger, Mike said.

"You go through all the emotions ... and you just try to find a reasoning on why something like this would happen, why somebody would take your younger brother's life when he's at work and minding his own business," Mike said.

In particular, their mother has had a difficult time digesting what happened to the youngest of her four sons, Mike said.

"My mom is really struggling. My mom is going to bury her son, her youngest son, and that's not fair. Nobody deserves to die alone and my brother did," Mike said.

"Nobody deserves this senseless violence in the city of Winnipeg."

The next few days will be filled with final preparations for the funeral and Mike knows it won't be easy. But he and his family appreciate all the support.

"It's love that gets us through things like this," he said. "This is love when you see people coming  and supporting a family that is grieving."

"It's love that gets us through things like this," he said. "This is love when you see people coming  and supporting a family that is grieving."

A prayer will be held at Saint Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church on Tuesday at 7 p.m.

The funeral will be held at the church Wednesday at 11 a.m., with the burial later that afternoon at the Glen Eden Funeral Home & Cemetery in West St. Paul.