Kong Lee, the owner of Kaffeinate coffee shop, was described by customers and neighbors as warm, generous, hard-working and a mentor. He died Wednesday inside the business when the building exploded after a gas leak.
Lee, 61, was the only person to die in the explosion, which damaged at least 15 buildings in Durham's warehouse district. At least 25 people, including nine firefighters, were injured in Wednesday's blast. Six people had critical injuries.
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On Kaffeinate's Instagram page on Friday, Lee's children, Diana and Raymond, wrote that Lee always wanted a cafe "because he loved to serve people."
"He had the biggest, purest heart out of anyone we know," the post said.
"He loved being able to bring people something that would make them smile," the post continued. "The family we created at Kaffeinate made him so happy. We watched your smiles give him strength and joy."
The coffee shop will be closed indefinitely, they said.
"It always was and always will be for our dad," the post said.
Durham Fire Chief Robert Zoldos said firefighters spoke to Lee minutes before the blast, as they escorted employees and customers out after a report of a gas leak.
"We spoke to everyone inside the business including him and said we were recommending evacuation of the structure," Zoldos said. "We got everyone else out but him."
Among his last acts was a post to social media, letting potential customers know Kaffeinate would be closed for the day. His post went live at 10:05. At 10:07 the building exploded.
On the Kaffeinate Instagram page, Lee's children said Lee called to tell them there was a gas leak and said he would close the shop and put a sign outside.
Zoldos described the damage to the Prescient building at 115 N. Duke St. as "catastrophic." Those walking by on Thursday called it surreal – that something of this magnitude could happen in minutes, in Durham, and claim the life of one so well-loved.
"He was just making sure everyone was out, everyone was okay, and he was doing his job," said Jennifer Oldham, owner of a nearby business. "We're just heartbroken for that family and his children."
On Thursday, as news of Lee's death spread, customers posted messages of encouragement on the Kaffeinate Facebook page.
People described Lee as a “warm and delightful soul" and “the nicest man.”
The family has asked for privacy.
According to the Kaffeinate website, the Lee family moved to North Carolina in 1993. Kaffeinate, billed as "North Carolina's most innovative cafe," opened in October 2017 and served specialty coffees, Belgian waffles and local pastries out of the intimate space.
The GoFundMe page states that, before his death, Lee had been caring for and supporting his mother in his home. The fundraiser was set up for his children, who will now take over their grandmother's care.