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José Alberto Suárez spent decades helping shape Spanish-language television in South Florida, rising from reporter and anchor to one of Telemundo’s top station executives.
On Wednesday, the longtime media executive and president and general manager of Telemundo 51 in Miami, Telemundo 49 in Tampa, and Telemundo Fort Myers-Naples, died in a helicopter crash in northern Kenya. He was 55. According to NBC 6, Suárez was one of four Americans killed when the helicopter went down in Samburu County. He was traveling with a group that included Miami entrepreneur Roger Duarte, the founder of George Stone Crab and co-founder of My Ceviche, who also died in the crash, along with two other Americans.
The accident occurred near Mount Ololokwe in Samburu County, roughly 170 miles north of Nairobi. Kenyan authorities say all seven people aboard the Eurocopter EC130 B4 were killed. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
Kenyan authorities identified Suarez among the passengers killed in the crash. The other passengers were identified as Roger Duarte, Adam Navaty, Stephany Vásconez, Henry Parra, and Michele Sensi-Contugi. The pilot was identified as Josh Outran. Kenya’s Civil Aviation Authority identified the helicopter operator as Lady Lori Kenya.
“Our deepest sympathies are with the guests, crew, their families and loved ones, and all those affected by this tragic accident,” the company said, that it planned to fully cooperate with authorities in the investigation of the crash, according to NBC News.
Suárez was a familiar figure in Spanish-language broadcasting and had spent more than 25 years in television news. Before leading Telemundo’s South Florida operations, he held leadership positions at stations across the country, including Telemundo 33, Telemundo Fresno, Telemundo Las Vegas, Telemundo Utah, and Telemundo San Antonio, according to NBC 6.
A Florida native, Suárez spent nearly 20 years with Telemundo and NBCUniversal stations, helping oversee the growth of the network’s local markets. Before moving into management, he worked as a reporter and anchor in Florida, Ohio, and Texas. During his career, he earned numerous honors, including a Lone Star Emmy, a Suncoast Emmy, three Emmys for best daily news program, and multiple Associated Press awards, NBC 6 reported.
News of Suárez’s death sent shockwaves through South Florida’s media community, where he was known not only as a station executive but also as a mentor to generations of journalists.
“Journalist José Alberto Suárez, president and general manager of Telemundo 31, Telemundo 49, and Telemundo Ft. Myers-Naples, died Wednesday in a helicopter crash in Kenya,” NBC 6 wrote in announcing his death. The station described him as a “visionary leader committed to the expansion and growth of Telemundo’s markets.”
NBCUniversal released its own statement about the executive’s sudden death.
“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,” the statement reads, according to NBC News. “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.”
Editor’s note: This is a breaking and developing story. The investigation into the helicopter crash remains ongoing, and details are still emerging. New Times will update this story as additional information becomes available.
