SaskatchewanRegina has lost a beloved community member, musician and teacher. Adrienne Mahoney died on Nov. 29 after a long battle with heart failure and cancer. She was 41. What followed was a large outpouring of love.Mahoney family says metal bassist had endless capacity for kindness, positivity, joyListen to this articleEstimated 5 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by text-to-speech, a technology based on artificial intelligence.Adrienne Mahoney’s family says she was a gifted bass guitarist. Here she’s shown performing her song “Duende, ‘ a thank you message to the donor her heart donor and their family. The track incorporates sounds from her donor’s heart beat. (Submitted by Ron Mahoney)Regina has lost a beloved community member, musician and teacher. Adrienne Mahoney died on Nov. 29 after a long battle with heart failure and cancer. She was 41.What followed was an outpouring of love from many who knew her. Despite illnesses, Adrienne played bass in the metal band Kelevra, which won the Saskatchewan Music Award for Metal/Hard Rock Artist of 2025.The artist began her teaching career in the Regina Public School system as an arts education specialist, with a focus on music. The Mahoney family said Adrienne loved working with elementary school students and inspiring their creativity.“They just fell in love with her. She was a very special teacher,” Adrienne’s father Ron Mahoney said.Adrienne Mahoney met Rob Dakiniewich, a long-time friend and former caregiver, 25 years ago. Here they are pictured together for Adrienne’s 40th birthday. (Submitted by Ron Mahoney)Still a rock star Adrienne was diagnosed in 2017 with Churg-Strauss syndrome, an inflammation of the blood vessels, and relocated to Edmonton to receive treatment. But she would still spend time in her hometown of Regina.She received a heart transplant in 2019.After the transplant, Mahoney wrote the song Duende as a thank you to the donor and their family.In December 2023, Adrienne told CBC that the song begins with sounds and melodies from the Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) that once helped her breathe. The track also incorporates sounds from her donor’s heartbeat.Adrienne Mahoney’s father Ron Mahoney, left, and her long-time friend and former caregiver Rob Dakiniewich, right, say Adrienne’s legacy will be one of love. (Laura Sciarpelletti/CBC)Her family said she didn’t lose her passion for creating and playing music. She performed with Kelevra in Alberta, B.C. and Saskatchewan after her heart transplant.Adrienne’s bandmate Mat Yarotski said her death is very hard on the whole group.“It almost didn’t feel real for the first couple hours, then everything starts to sink in,” Yarotski said, adding that Adrienne always put Kelvera first as a musician.“Adrienne had the brightest spirit and positivity and radiant energy that anyone on this earth could have. And I really don’t expect to meet anyone else in my lifetime with that capacity for love,” Yarotski said.Roque Andres Jr., a fan of Mahoney’s music and a friend, said she always rocked out with passion and a smile on her face.”When she was performing you could see that she was in the moment, loving life, loving holding and playing the bass, and loving being on the stage with her band mates,” Andres Jr. said.Adrienne Mahoney onstage playing bass with her metal band Kelevra. (Submitted by Ron Mahoney)Ron remembers a concert Kelevra played in Drumheller in the summer. Prior to the show, Adrienne was “in agony,” he said. He wondered how she was going to manage to perform.“She went up on stage and it was a different person. She was so full of life, so full of energy. And that was probably my proudest moment ever with her … just seeing that transition to showtime,” Ron said.Adrienne’s long-time friend and former caregiver Rob Dakiniewich met her 25 years ago. Like so many others, he felt an instant connection with her.“When I first met Adrienne, it was just energy. She just had this aura of, like, positivity,” Dakiniewich said.From left to right: sister Gillian Mahoney, father Ron Mahoney, long-time friend Rob Dakiniewich, brother-in-law Tyson Brochu, nephew Milo Brochu, Adrienne Mahoney and Ron’s ‘sweetie’ Joan Halvorsen. The group photo was taken shortly before Adrienne’s heart transplant in 2019. Her band Kelevra performed in Vancouver while she still had an LVAD to help her breath. (Submitted by Ron Mahoney)Ron said his daughter found solace in nature and could often be found hiking the Edmonton River Valley. He and her sister Gillian Mahoney said Adrienne was a wonderful auntie to her nephew Milo Brochu.Milo said goodbye to his auntie in hospital before her death.“Adrienne loves sunsets. And she told little Milo that ‘whenever you see a sunset, enjoy it and appreciate it because your auntie is going to be behind that,’” Ron said.Sisters Gillian and Adrienne Mahoney were best friends and confidants. (Submitted by Ron Mahoney)Last moments, words of loveAdrienne’s family said they’re thankful for the medical teams who helped her over the last eight years, specifically the transplant program at the Mazankowski Alberta Health Institute in Edmonton and the apheresis team at Foothills Hospital in Calgary, where she spent her last days.“We were just so fortunate that she was really looked after by all the doctors and nurses, and really cared for well and kept comfortable. She was at peace,” Gillian said.Ron said Adrienne kept her humour until the very end. He told a story about a day she was sipping on ice water and ice chips at the hospital.“She put her head back and looked at me and said, ‘Dad, you have to go through hell before you get to heaven. And these ice chips are heaven,” Ron said, laughing.Adrienne Mahoney with her mother Pat Mahoney. (Submitted by Ron Mahoney)Ron Mahoney with his beloved daughter Adrienne Mahoney. She died surrounded by family on Nov. 29. (Submitted by Ron Mahoney)Dakiniewich said Adrienne wanted her legacy to be one of love.“That’s what she expressed the whole time. That’s how she wants to be remembered,” he said.Ron said Adrienne’s outlook on life was best described in her last few words before her illness took over completely.“All she talked about was love and how she loved each one of us,” Ron said.“The doctor was sitting there and he was in tears. He said he’s never been through a sharing of love in a passing like that. That was Adrienne, though. She loved everybody.”A “unique” Irish wake for Adrienne Mahoney will be held Dec. 12 at The Exchange in Regina – the venue where she first performed at 13 years old.Rob Dakiniewich, a long-time friend of Adrienne Mahoney, has knuckle tattoos that sum up who Adrienne was: a bass player with an endless capacity for love. (Laura Sciarpelletti/CBC)ABOUT THE AUTHORLaura is a journalist, radio host and newsreader at CBC Saskatchewan. She previously worked at CBC Vancouver, CBC Toronto and The Globe and Mail. She has also guest reported on the BBC World Service. Laura specializes in human interest, arts and health care coverage. She holds a Master of Journalism degree from the University of British Columbia. Send Laura news tips at laura.sciarpelletti@cbc.caWith files from Tyreike Reid
Legacy of love: Regina musician Adrienne Mahoney, 41, dies after battle with heart disease, cancer
