A senior Telemundo executive was among seven people killed Wednesday when a helicopter went down in flames near the foothills of a mountain in northern Kenya.
José Alberto Suárez, 55, a Florida native, was aboard the aircraft when it crashed at about 9:13 a.m. near Mount Ololokwe in Samburu County, according to Kenya’s Civil Aviation Authority.
NBCUniversal News Chairman Cesar Conde, NBCU Local Chairman Valari Staab and Telemundo station group president Jose Cancela informed employees of Suárez’s death in an internal memo obtained by Variety.
“We are heartbroken to share the tragic news that José Suárez, the president and general manager of the Telemundo-owned stations in Orlando, Tampa and Fort Myers, was killed in a helicopter accident in Kenya. José was a deeply respected leader and beloved friend and colleague across NBCU Local and NBCU News Group,” the memo reportedly said.
“José was an exceptional colleague and mentor to many. He cared deeply about his teams, the communities they served and the essential role our stations play in people’s lives. He brought energy, humor, warmth and a strong sense of purpose to his work, and his impact was felt far beyond the stations he led.
“The suddenness and circumstances of José’s passing make this loss especially difficult to comprehend. Our hearts are with his loved ones, and with all of José’s colleagues and friends across NBCUniversal who are grieving this terrible loss.”
Before taking on leadership of Telemundo-owned stations, Suárez served as director of creative services and programming at WTVJ in Miami.
Over the course of his career, Suárez earned numerous honors for his work in broadcast television, including a Lone Star Emmy, a Suncoast Emmy, three Emmys for best daily newscast and multiple Associated Press awards.
