San Francisco

17-Year-Old Fire Victim Remembered as Kind, Gentle, Quiet Leader

Alameda County Deputy's son was a junior at Ruth Asawa School of the Arts in San Francisco

The youngest identified victim of the deadly Oakland warehouse fire is the son of an Alameda County Sheriff’s deputy.

Draven McGill, 17, was a junior at Ruth Asawa School of the Arts in San Francisco. He was one of at least 36 people who died Friday in the inferno on 31st Avenue in Oakland's Fruitvale district.

At the high school in San Francisco’s Diamond Heights neighborhood, classmates spoke about a young man who had a gift for music and love of adventure.

Senior Gabriel Bibliowicz, the school's student body president, was friends with McGill.

"That kid was all smiles," Bibliowicz said. "He was always looking for a good time; he was ready to hang out with friends and go out."

Bibliowicz said McGill was a quiet leader who led by example.

"The way he interacted with you, there was nothing but good memories about him," he said. "I can’t think of a single negative thing about him. He’s going to be really missed here."

McGill traveled the world singing in the Pacific Boychoir. He attended middle school at the Pacific Boychoir Academy in Oakland before graduating to the Asawa School of the Arts two years ago.

The academy's artistic director, Kevin Fox, had nothing but praise for McGill.

"Draven was perhaps the kindest and gentlest person you could ever meet, and that is abosultely true," Fox said.

Fox recalled one trip to Vietnam, when the choir was stranded at the airport for hours. Rather than sit with nothing to do, McGill made a video that lifted everyone's spirit.

"Instead of being stuck at the airport, he made this video, making something positive and creative out of nothing," Fox said.

Bibliowicz said the mood on campus is somber. Grief counselors met with students Monday morning.

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