Athens building collapse: Four Americans identified among victims

It is honestly heartbreaking news coming out of Athens, Greece. Four Americans have been confirmed dead following a devastating building collapse that happened on Sept. 25. The victims were Ian Alexander Kirkpatrick, 37, his wife, 34-year-old Florida Hoxha, and her brother, Florin Hoxha, along with his wife, Eris Cani.

A honeymoon turned tragedy

Ian and Florida, a senior lawyer and Bronx native, were just starting their life together. They tied the knot on Aug. 30 in Long Island and were on their honeymoon when the accident occurred. They were actually scheduled to fly home that day and had already checked in for their flight, but they never made it to the airport. The two were staying in an Airbnb in the city’s historic Plaka district when the tragedy struck.

Remembering the victims

Those who knew them are devastated. Ian’s mom, Suzanne Nelson, remembered him as a "wonderful, incredible human being" who was creative and had a real zest for life. Florida, who had worked for the New York Legal Assistance Group for five years, was described by Westchester County legislator Vedat Gashi as "smart, ambitious and devoted to her community." Her brother, 36-year-old Florin Hoxha, was a co-founder of Prufock Builders. His wife, Eris Cani, was an assistant professor of pharmacy practice and was five-and-a-half months pregnant at the time of her passing.

Also killed in the collapse were Edmond Hings, 78, and his wife of 11 years, Athena Papaprescou, 77.

The investigation

Authorities in Greece are still working to figure out exactly what went wrong. Right now, investigators suspect a gas leak caused an explosion that made the two-story building buckle. Paris Charlaftis, the Athens deputy mayor, noted that officials are currently checking out surrounding buildings to see if they are at risk of collapsing as well. The whole situation is just incredibly sad, lowkey heavy, and you really feel for their families. Sending so much love to them during this nightmare.

Why it matters

This tragedy highlights the unpredictable risks involved in travel and has sparked a serious safety investigation by Greek authorities into the structural integrity of historical districts in Athens.