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Jos\u00e9 Alberto Su\u00e1rez, a Telemundo executive, died in a helicopter crash on Wednesday in Kenya.<\/p>\n
The 55-year-old \u2014 who was president and general manager of Telemundo 31, Telemundo 49 and Telemundo Ft. Myers-Naples \u2014 was among the seven deceased following an aircraft incident at Mt. Ololokwe, that took place at about 9:13 AM.<\/p>\n
The Kenyan Civil Aviation Authority shared on X that the group left Loisaba to travel to Ewasonyiro on a Eurocopter, EC130 B4, operated by the charter service company Lady Lori Helicopters. Guests on board were said to be part of a luxury safari tour by travel agency andBeyond.<\/p>\n
In a statement by NBCU News Group Chairman Cesar Conde, NBCU Local Chairman Valari Staab and Telemundo Station Group President Jose Cancela, they shared that Su\u00e1rez was a \u201cdeeply respected leader\u201d and \u201cbeloved friend and colleague.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe suddenness and circumstances of Jos\u00e9\u2019s passing make this loss especially difficult to comprehend,\u201d read a statement to The Times. \u201cOur hearts are with his loved ones, and with all of Jos\u00e9\u2019s colleagues and friends across NBCUniversal who are grieving this terrible loss.\u201d<\/p>\n
Over the course of his 20-plus years with NBCU Local and NBCU News Group, Su\u00e1rez led stations in San Antonio, Sacramento, Fresno, Salt Lake City and Las Vegas. Earlier in his career \u2014 inspired by Cuban American journalist Jose Diaz-Balart \u2014 he served in programming, digital and creative leadership for Telemundo Station Group, NBC6 and Telemundo 51 in Miami.<\/p>\n
\u201cJos\u00e9 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\u2019s lives,\u201d continued the statement. \u201cHe brought energy, humor, warmth and a strong sense of purpose to his work, and his impact was felt far beyond the stations he led.\u201d<\/p>\n
Some of Su\u00e1rez\u2019s colleagues took to social media to pay homage to the storyteller, including Elizabeth Chavolla, a bilingual multiplatform producer for NBC4 and Telemundo 52 Los Angeles, who uploaded a picture of the two on Instagram.<\/p>\n
\u201cI will always remember your kindness, professionalism, sense of humor and words of encouragement,\u201d said Chavolla in an Instagram post. \u201cYou always knew how to make people smile, lift their spirits and remind them that everything was going to be okay.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brian Lozano, a news anchor for Telemundo 33 in Sacramento, wrote \u201cpart of me is leaving with him,\u201d in a heartfelt Instagram post.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe had his own way of being there for others, helping, accompanying and of leaving a deep imprint on every person who was lucky enough to cross his path,\u201d Lozano wrote.<\/p>\n
In a video tribute released by Telemundo 60 San Antonio, they describe Su\u00e1rez as a meteorology fanatic who helped elevate the station into a robust weather reporting, while become a fan of Texan western wear and food.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe appreciate you to the heavens for everything you did for the team, especially your joy, passion and journalistic commitment, but above all the lessons that you instilled as the great human that you\u2019ve always been,\u201d the video stated.<\/p>\n