NEW YORK (EFE) .- The Dominican community in New York, the largest outside the country, joined today in a vigil for the death of more than 70 people, including former beneficist Octavio Dotel, after the collapse on the morning of this Tuesday of the roof of a disco in Santo Domingo.
A hundred Dominicans gathered around a gigantic flag of their country that held several people in the Plaza de las Américas, in Alto Manhattan -the Dominican neighborhood par excellence -where they prayed for the victims and their families and made a call to unity.
The attendees arrived in the square little by little, flag in hand, and, dismayed, hugged each other.
Pain for the tragedy of the disco in Santo Domingo
during the vigil, they sang their anthem and listened to messages from religious leaders and community representatives, as well as the announcement of a teleton – a beneficial campaign – on April 14 to raise funds for the families of the victims.
Some like Juana Veras and Jocelyn Hernández showed a photo of singer Rubby Pérez, who enlivened the party when he collapsed the roof of the Jet Set disco, and although some versions indicate that he is within the victims, the Dominican authorities have not yet confirmed that information.
Even so, followers of the merenguero as you will see it and remember their last performance on April 4 when the interpreter of ‘I will return’ gave a ‘show’ in El Bronx County, in New York.
“He was one of my favorite artists”
«I still don’t think it’s dead. He was one of my favorite artists. In my house you always hear his music, ”he told Efe VERAS, who showed the poster of his last concert at the Bronx while Hernández taught a photograph on his cell phone next to the singer, taken two decades ago in his country.
“Now he is singing to God,” he added, trying to seek comfort in his own words.
Other vigil attendees made an impromptu altar in tribute to Pérez in front of a tree in the square, where they placed their photo, several flags of their country and candles.
According to Félix Jerez, representative of the artist, Pérez was going to return at the end of May to the US, where he had twelve concerts in several cities.
For his part, Congressman Adriano Espaillat, first Dominican elected to the US Congress, spoke from Washington, in an recorded message, to solidarity with his community and offer his help.
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