The popular NYC figure died this week. (Image via HX)

According to Michael Musto and to other friends on social media, performer and musician Nashom Wooden, known to many New Yorkers as drag queen Mona Foot, died this week of COVID-19 ...

Wooden performed as Mona from 1989 until a few years ago, telling Musto for Paper in 2017:

Sometimes guys that were interested in me as Nashom would figure out the Mona thing and get a little freaked out. They'd think that was what I was going to bring to the bedroom, which wasn't the case. Also, tucking wasn't fun. And the amount of drinking I did was legendary because I was in so much pain between my feet and my corset. I had to drink obscene amounts just to get through it. I'd get home and sit down on my bed--just for a minute, before taking anything off—and before you know, it would be the next morning and I'd slept in drag with my corset on. Talk about a rude awakening. There's nothing worse than that ... The character takes over, and I could see why someone would want to be like this the whole time. But I wasn't an awkward boy. I was not a wallflower in high school. I was super popular. I could see how someone could get drunk on the attention if they were an awkward boy who got teased in school. But that wasn't me. That's why I kept my name Nashom. If I'm Mona, I'm no longer me.

Some have stated on social media that Wooden, who was ill, was sent home without a COVID-19 test before his death.