Live Nation executive Theresa Velasquez confirmed as victim of Surfside condo collapse
SURFSIDE, Fla. – Theresa Velasquez, a music executive at Live Nation, has been identified as a victim in the collapse of a 12-story Florida condominium that killed at least 97 people, authorities announced Saturday.
The Miami-Dade Police Department said in a news release that Velasquez, 36, was a confirmed fatality in the June 24 collapse of the Champlain Towers South condo. Her body was recovered July 8.
She becomes the 95th fatality identified in the collapse, police said.
Velasquez, a Los Angeles-based executive for the event promotion company, had flown into Miami to visit her parents at the Surfside condo, both of whom also died in the collapse.
"Theresa was an impassioned leader at Live Nation, who elevated every project she was part of, at the same time breaking down barriers for women, and the LGBTQIA+ community," the company said in a statement. "We will always remember and honor the impact she made, and will miss her dearly."
Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.
In June 2020, Velasquez was included in Billboard's Pride List of music industry-shaping LGBTQ executives.
A day after the collapse, Live Nation Entertainment president/CEO Michael Rapino tweeted, "Keeping Theresa Velasquez in our thoughts, one of LiveNation’s own, and a beloved friend, daughter, sister, and co-worker. Sending love to everyone in Surfside – we need miracles tonight."
The bodies of Velasquez's parents, Julio Velasquez, 66, and Angela Velasquez, 60, were recovered and identified earlier. Angela owned a small men's clothing shop called Fiorelli.
The recovery effort at the condo site is slowly winding down, with perhaps one more body still buried in the rubble. Work is now shifting toward determining what caused the oceanfront condo to come down.
A judge is also considering what should be done with the building site. An outright property sale, government purchase for construction of a memorial or a combination of both are among the suggestions.
Contributing: Kim Willis, USA TODAY
