New York City Mayor Eric Adams wiped away tears as he visited the site of the horrific nightclub collapse that left 225 dead in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
Adams, who traveled to the site of the destroyed Jet Set nightclub Monday morning, got choked up in front of news cameras while paying his respects to the victims of the tragedy.
Adams was joined byYdanis Rodriguez, commissioner of the New York City Department of Transportation, who translated while the mayor offered condolences to the community.
“[It’s] one thing to read about a tragedy, it’s one thing to see it on the news, but the impact of being here, and seeing the faces of the people we lost is something I had to do,” Adams said to the media after his tearful moment.
The mayor was invited to mourn with members of the community and families of the victims by the consul general – in part because of the Big Apple’s large Dominican population.
“We have a million Dominicans in New York. They believe in family. They believe in faith. They believe in public safety. They believe in children,” he said.
Adams took in the scene of the collapse and observed the memorial, photos of the tour show.
The tragedy unfolded last week when a cement roof collapsed, killing partygoers including New York City art dealer Elivira Malkic and her husband Kahim Boubazine.
A 24-year-old Passaic, New Jersey resident Jennifer Contreras, who was in Santo Domingo celebrating her birthday, was another tri-state area traveler who was tragically killed.
Adams left a wreath at the memorial during his visit.
“I’m leaving this wreath here as a symbol not only of my love, but of the love that this country, [and] New York, has for you,” Mayor Adams said.