The graffiti artist Jeffrey Vanchiro, better known as KORN, died on December 14 after falling from a second-story window in Queens, the New York Times reported. (See our story about the death of another prominent graffiti artist, “German Graffiti Legend Oz Killed by Train.”)

According to his fiancée Kristi Evans, the 38-year-old Vanchiro tumbled through the window after he awoke in a disoriented state. He sustained severe brain damage as a result of the fall and fractured his spinal cord.

The artist began tagging the streets in 1995 and was known throughout the graffiti subculture for his unique single-letter “K” and winking face tag, which appeared across New York City. Later in his career he began showing at galleries and sold prints of his work online.

KORN’s iconic ‘K’ tag started appearing across New York City in 1995
Photo: aradiowithguts via Instagram

Outside of his graffiti work, the artist gained recognition as a passionate fan of the Brooklyn Nets. Vanchiro was often seen enthusiastically supporting the team by dancing in his row of seats.

According to Evans, Vanchiro’s behavior changed after he was restrained by security guards at a New York Knicks basketball game at Madison Square Garden on December 2. The incident, which was widely reported in the news, showed Vanchiro, who is disabled, being carried from the court without his prosthetic leg.

After the incident Vanchiro’s family’s concern grew over his “erratic” and “delusional” behavior. Evans said “he just stopped sleeping, because he didn’t want to have those nightmares anymore.” On Saturday, he traveled to his father’s apartment to rest after attending Friday’s Nets game. There, he fell to his death in the early hours of Sunday morning.