Performer Athena Addams Passes Away

LOS ANGELES—Athena Addams, a transgender performer who first entered the adult industry in 2004, passed on July 1 at her home in Los Angeles. She was 34 years old; no cause of death has yet been revealed. A native of Thibodaux, Louisiana, Addams jumped right into XXX work at the age of 20, appearing in 14 scenes for Grooby.com, one of the largest websites devoted to transgender performers, between 2004 and 2009, most of which involved only masturbation. According to site owner Steven Grooby, beginning in 2015, "after an extended hiatus and a relocation to Los Angeles, [she] continued working with Blackula and Buddy Wood. During this time she also worked with Pure-TS, and ran her own website." Addams was also a presenter, along with Wicked Pictures contract actress Jessica Drake, at the 2016 Transgender Erotica Awards (TEAs), of the show's Best FTM Scene award, which went to Dicky Johnson and Trixxy Von Tease. On her website, Addams described herself thusly: "Hi there, It's me Athena Addams, the same girl you've seen on big porn sites since 2004. I'm excited to be bringing you my own site with more and more amazing content to come... I'm in my twenties, I live in sunny California, and love sex, tattoos, sushi, the beach, and of course porn. I enjoy performing in it, arranging it, producing, directing, editing, and in the end hearing the feedback from all those who watch it..." Her website TSAthenaAddams.com notes her heritage was Native American and German, and that she was fluent in American Sign Language.  "Personally, I’d met her a number of times and always found her energetic, lively and engaged person who was easy to talk to," Steven Grooby posted on Grooby.com. "She was a popular performer and appeared at least 25 times on Grooby websites." "Very sad to hear of @AthenaAddams' passing," added Grooby publicist Kristel Penn, owner of Ikigai Marketing. "I always enjoyed our conversations—she always had such lightness and an infectious sense of humor when we talked. May she rest in peace."