‘A ray of light’: At reopened Park Tavern, family mourns hospital worker killed in crash

Friends and family of Gabe Harvey sobbed as they set up tribute posters on Wednesday outside the Park Tavern in St. Louis Park, which reopened for business Wednesday following the tragic crash there three nights earlier.

Harvey, a 30-year-old hospital worker, was killed Sunday night along with restaurant employee Kristina Folkerts when a man crashed his SUV into patio seating. Harvey’s aunt, Mindy Kennedy, said her nephew would brighten the day of everyone he interacted with at Methodist Hospital.

“Everybody that knew him knows he was a ray of light to everyone,” Kennedy said, standing with sister Colleen Costello next to a memorial at the tavern. “He would help anybody, do anything for anybody.”

Steven Frane Bailey, who made his first court appearance Wednesday afternoon, is charged with two counts of criminal vehicular homicide, and other felony counts. Besides the two deaths, nine other people were injured when Bailey sped from the establishment’s parking lot into an outdoor patio around 8 p.m. on Sunday. Bailey recorded a blood alcohol content of 0.325% during a breath test at the hospital Sunday night, charges say.

A makeshift memorial has grown along the outside seating area since the crash, with dozens of flower bouquets, signs and photos of the victims lining the side of the St. Louis Park restaurant. About 10 friends and family members of Harvey arrived in the early afternoon to grieve and add to the memorial. Harvey’s partner brought a sign with photos of the two and a printed message: “I will love you always.” Inside the restaurant, about 25 customers were seated for lunch.

Harvey was also a nursing student who was set to graduate in December. He and his partner recently purchased a home together.

Some of Harvey’s hospital co-workers stopped by the memorial to offer condolences to his parents and friends. Beth Erickson, who works in guest services for Methodist Hospital, said Harvey was “one of the kindest souls” and that he made a name for himself working in the intensive care unit.

“He brought so much joy, and that’s a tough floor — the ICU is always a tough floor,” Erickson said. “Everybody knew Gabe. His heart was very big.”

Erickson said there has been a strong connection between the hospital and the tavern since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, when the restaurant would send free meals to hospital workers. In return, many of the hospital employees dined at Park Tavern.

Owner Phil Weber, who opened Park Tavern in 1980, offered grief counseling services to his employees before the restaurant’s reopening. While workers are still grieving, he said he hopes the return to normal operation can help people process the tragedy.

“It’s hard, but I’m just trying to get everybody to move forward now,” Weber said. “Grieving’s a natural reaction we all go through. But I think it’s important to get back to whatever daily routine we do at the tavern. It’s therapeutic.”