People for the Pavilion co-founder Christian Doran, right, with fellow People for the Pavilion leaders Matthew Silva, left, and Salmaan Khan, during a tour Borough President Melinda Katz recently held at the pavilion. Photo courtesy Matthew Silva
Christian ‘Tian’ Doran marched to the beat of a different drum.
Coming from what his father described as a “family of accountants,” his parents, Bellerose residents Steve and Cindy, said their son diverged from the path and threw much of his passion into music, art, and philosophy – but it was when he began to fight to preserve and reuse the New York State Pavilion in Flushing Meadows Corona Park that they said he began to come into his own like never before.
“He worked at the Queens Theater, which is adjacent to the pavilion, and he had access to the building that is closed to the public,” Steve Doran said of his son, who died Feb. 8 at the age of 28 after suffering from an asthma attack. “He was mesmerized by it; he thought it was a tremendous waste to have it the way it is now.”
A Bellerose native who had been living in Maspeth, Christian Doran was a co-founder of People for the Pavilion, a group leading the charge to restore the pavilion that was built for the 1964 World’s Fair but has since fallen into disrepair. Following his death, there was an outpouring of grief and support from people throughout Queens, and beyond, who remembered the 28-year-old as a charismatic leader with an amazing sense of humor and a deep love of family and friends.
“As a parent, you always feel your child is special,” Cindy Doran said. “But we were so touched by the hundreds and hundreds of people who came to us and told us about how he made their lives better. He was known for his hugs – they were long and hard and full of meaning. He was such a good person who truly loved people.”
In addition to restoring the decaying pavilion – which once held the crowds flocking from around the globe to catch a glimpse of the future at the 1964 World’s Fair – Christian Doran wanted to revitalize the structure so it would once again be a community space for Queens residents, his parents said.
“His vision was for it to be a cultural center that could be used for so many things – art, music, shows – he had limitless ideas on what it could be,” Cindy Doran said.
A sound engineer who worked at Queens Theater, Doran and the two others leading the People for the Pavilion, Matthew Silvan and Salmaan Khan, had held their first public meeting regarding the future of the iconic facility on Jan. 25 – a resounding success that drew a large crowd of enthusiastic supporters. Following the meeting, Queens Borough President Melinda Katz led a tour of the pavilion and threw her support behind preserving it.
“The Jan. 25 meeting was the first time he got up and spoke in public,” Steve Doran said. “He was a natural because he was just being himself. We were very proud. With the support from the borough president and the public, everything seemed to be taking off so quickly. It becamse a passion for him, and he blossomed like we’d never seen before.
“During our last conversation with him, we were congratulating him on how well it was going,” Steve Doran continued. “We were so grateful we got to tell him how we felt.”
In addition to being a newfound civic activist, Christian Doran had grown up playing baseball and music at his alma mater, Archbishop Molloy High School in Briarwood. The baby of the family, he loved spending time with his siblings, Sean, 36, Bryan, 34, and Julia, 32, and he was constantly making his family and friends laugh, his parents said.
“I hope that people remember his philosophy on life – being good with people, making people believe they’re the most important thing,” Cindy Doran said. “If people did that in their own lives more, they’d be happier all around.”
Both Cindy and Steve Doran stressed how grateful they have been for the countless number of people who have reached out to them following their son’s death.
“I don’t know if we could’ve gotten through last week without seeing how many lives he touched,” Steve Doran said.
In lieu of flowers, Doran’s family has requested that donations be made to the Mid Hudson Valley Camp. Doran volunteered his time at the camp, which offers programs for children and adults with mental disabilities, children living with cancer, inner city students, and others.
By Anna Gustafson
