The four Americans who were killed when a building collapsed in Greece last week have been identified. They include a newlywed couple, the bride's brother, and his pregnant wife.
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The Newlyweds Were on Their Honeymoon
As the New York Post reports, the incident took place in Athens on Sep. 25. The two couples were staying in a two-story Airbnb located in the city's historic Plaka district. The area is a popular spot with international visitors. Investigators believe a gas leak caused an explosion that brought the building down.
Ian Alexander Kirkpatrick, a 37-year-old, and his 34-year-old wife, lawyer Florida Hoxha, were married in Long Island on Aug. 30. The couple was staying inside the Airbnb with Hoxha's older brother, Florin, and his wife, Eris Cani. Cani was five-and-a-half months pregnant.
The newlyweds spent a week in Mexico before heading to Greece. They had spent nine days in the Mediterranean nation and were scheduled to return to the US the day they were killed. The couple checked in for their flight, but they didn't arrive at the airport.
Edmond Hings, a 78-year-old, and his Greek wife of 11 years, 77-year-old Athena Papaprescou, were also killed in the explosion. The blast damaged nearby homes, shops, and cars and sent rubble and shattered glass as far as three blocks away. Local reports said debris from the blast injured several people in the surrounding area. Authorities are still investigating what caused the building to collapse.
The Bride Was Passionate About "Helping Other People"
Kirkpatrick interned at Citi in China for several years before moving back to New York. The newlywed then worked for Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, a Japanese financial services company, for the last five years.
His mother said, "He was creative. He spoke Chinese. He had a zest for life."
His wife of one month worked for the New York Legal Assistance Group for five years. She also had political aspirations.
"She cared deeply about her environment," said Westchester County legislator Vedat Gashi. "We have similar backgrounds. We're both Albanian Americans. And she had a deep passion for helping other people."
Her brother, Florin, co-founded a construction company. Cani was an assistant professor at Touro College.
