A former St. Paul Winter Carnival prince has died following a difficult battle with COVID-19.
Troy Natus, 41, of Maplewood, the 2010 Titan Prince of the North Wind, died Jan. 13 at the Mayo Clinic.
“He was six feet six inches tall, a big man,” said his mother Lynn Natus. “But he always had a smile and a hug for everybody.”
Natus became ill with COVID in mid-December and was admitted to Mayo on Dec. 18 after becoming severely dehydrated. The virus exacerbated issues with his heart and kidneys. Natus had a heart transplant nearly 18 years ago after a virus destroyed his heart, and he later was diagnosed with kidney cancer.
“Troy touched more lives than we’ll ever know,” his family wrote in his obituary. “He was a kind and gentle giant that always had time and a smile for all. He was the most compassionate friend.”
Lynn Natus spoke of her son over a boisterous crowd Saturday. Members of the Winter Carnival family gathered at Mama T’s Castle Tap, a sports bar in Little Canada that she managed with Troy. She got the nickname “Mama T” when trying to explain that she was the mother of a Titan.
“They’re here telling stories about when they met Troy,” she said. “They’re telling about the love that he gave them. They truly are a family. When you put out the alarm, they come running.”
Natus was born Jan. 28, 1980, in Roseville to Ted and Lynn Natus. He had four sisters — Christi Finken, Brenda Hocum, Amy Kissner and Theresa Sierakowski. After graduating Roseville High School in 1998, he joined the family business, Hamernick’s Interior Solutions on Rice Street. He worked with his father for 26 years, becoming vice president of the company.
In October 2013 he married Monette Moorman whom he met through the Winter Carnival. She was the 2012 East Wind Princess. They couldn’t have children, so they loved on their three dogs and two cats, Lynn Natus said.
After his appointment as Prince of the North Wind, he remained active in the St. Paul Winter Carnival and Titan Organization, which is an association of the former princes. His father, Ted Natus, was King Boreas LXXVII in 2013.
“Though he battled through years of health issues and had his own mountains to climb, he never complained or failed to put others ahead of himself,” the family wrote in the obituary. “His hug could heal a broken spirit and it did for so many.”
Despite COVID protocols, Lynn was adamant about being by his side at the end.
“I told them I was there the day he was born, and I will be there the day he leaves me,” she said.
She and Troy’s wife, Monette, sat on either side of him holding his hands as died.
Natus’ funeral will be noon Jan. 18 at Bradshaw Celebration of Life Center, 4600 Greenhaven Drive in White Bear Lake. Visitation starts at 10:30 a.m. Following the funeral, everyone is invited to Mama T’s where there will be an open mic for friends to share their memories, Lynn said.
In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations to the Gift of Life Transplant House in Rochester.
Copyright 2022 Pioneer Press.