Johnny Igaz died doing what he did best: making music and bringing people together.

The 34-year-old Igaz—a well-known Oakland DJ—was spinning on Friday night when the catastrophic fire broke out at Ghost Ship, the Oakland warehouse and artists’ colony. The blaze claimed the lives of 36 people; Igaz was one of them.

In reflecting on Igaz' contributions to the local art and music community, his loved ones underscored his passion for making safe spaces for artists, LGBT people, and women.

“He loved his community, and he was proud of the impact he had made in his life, and the objective truth of his conviction is evident in the affected spirits of his many friends,” wrote his younger brother, Paul, in a Facebook post Monday.

“[He shaped] my musical interests, giving me selfless support in my own musical endeavors, and always feeding me new influences."

Igaz had recently picked up a gig as the record buyer for Green Apple Books, the independent book and music store with locations on Clement Street in the Richmond and 9th Avenue in the Sunset. Igaz worked at the Clement Street location.

Green Apple co-owner Kevin Hunsanger, who hired Igaz, said he made a significant impression on the company, despite only working there a short time.

"We worked closely together in the past few months," Hunsanger said. "We all fell head over heels for him in the brief time he was here."

In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Green Apple said of Igaz, “His charisma and passions were instantly engaging, and he had a welcoming composure that made everyone feel like a friend.”

Igaz grew up in Alameda, and attended the Ruth Asawa School of the Arts in San Francisco. During his career, he held jobs as a voiceover analyst for Pandora and repaired old synthesizers at a boutique in Oakland, but his passion was music. The night of his death, he performed under his DJ name “Nackt": German for “naked.”

"He spent so much time at home working on music," wrote his former partner, Hunter Leight, in a moving post on Medium about her life with him. "He was committed."

A fund has been set up to memorialize Igaz and fellow artists Amanda Allen Kershaw and Chelsea Faith Dolan. At publication time, the fund had amassed a little more than $10,000 of its $30,000 goal.

 “We are all lucky to have had each of them in our lives," wrote fund organizer Jeremy Bispo, who collaborated with Igaz on producing shows. "The memories are countless. The late nights and early mornings numerous. The smiles innumerable. ”