Man killed in St. Catharines, Ont., explosion identified by family as Ryan Konkin

Ryan Konkin, 37, died from injuries he sustained in a workplace explosion on Jan. 12 in St. Catharines, Ont. Photo: GoFundMe

The man killed in the explosion at Ssonix Products in St. Catharines, Ont., has been identified by family members as Ryan Konkin, 37.

A GoFundMe page organized by his sister, Nicole, confirmed he was killed in the incident. The explosion happened on Jan. 12 and Konkin passed away the next day in hospital.

“We are devastated by the hole left in our lives and the effect on the people in the community,” the page states.

Konkin was a born in Yorkton, Sask., and live with his fiance Natalia and her family in St. Catharines.

“Ryan could most often be found fishing, gardening, shovelling someone’s driveway, picking up trash in the parks, playing with random animals, making kids smile and sharing his favourite dishes with anyone who was available,” the page states.

He is survived by his son, and the GoFundMe page is raising money to help his family through “these challenging roads ahead,” it states.

His response to adversity was “Everything is going to be alright,” it said.

“We really want to help Natalia continue the life they were building together and see their dreams of sharing joy through their food truck through. This is how we will honour Ryan most authentically,” it said.

Donations can be made by going to https://www.gofundme.com/f/keeping-ryans-spirit-vibrant?qid=4cd70f8b745c48824b7b5d8ec12947e0

@natdababyRyan Konkin, passed away January 13, 2023 from the Ssonix explosion in St Catherine’s. His workplace did not have insurance so his family and his fiancé, Natalia, has been left with minimal resources after his passing. If you knew him, you’d know that he had the most vibrant personality. He was vivacious, selfless, and humble. Thank you Ryan for teaching me what it really means to live life to the fullest. We were walking through life blind before you showed us the way. If you would like to support Natalia and Ryan’s family, they have a GoFundMe page. The link is in my bio. Anything helps – Even just sharing this video.♬ In The Forest (Acoustic Indie No Copyright) – Instrumental – Lesfm & Olexy