Live Nation executive Theresa Velasquez is one of the 156 people missing following the collapse of a condo building in Surfside, Florida on June 24. Although it has been five days since the start of search-and-rescue operations, friends and family are still hanging on for a miracle.
Velasquez has been an executive of the company for the past six years. Her current position is listed as Senior Vice President of Strategic Partnerships. Some of her other previous work experience includes positions at Sony Music Entertainment and SFX Entertainment. She also co-founded an independent house music label named Audio4Play, Inc. and worked as a producer/DJ under the name DJ Theresa who played at events including 2019’s New York City Pride celebrations. Billboard listed her on their 2020 “Pride List of Industry-Shaping LGBTQ Executives.”
On Thursday, Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino tweeted about Velasquez being one of those currently unaccounted for. “Keeping Theresa Velasquez in our thoughts, one of @LiveNation’s own, and a beloved friend, daughter, sister and co-worker,” he Tweeted. “Sending love to everyone in Surfside – we need miracles tonight.”
Members of Velasquez’s family, David and Kika, also made a comment, thanking everyone who contributed to a GoFundMe in their support. “We want to share our immense gratitude for the overwhelming support, prayers and generosity of family, friends, and well-wishers,” they stated. “We are clinging to hope, despite what feels like insurmountable odds, and find some comfort in knowing that God has Theresa, Angela and Julio in His embrace until we find them.”
Rescue teams have been putting out fires and using heavy machinery to carefully sort through the precarious pile of broken concrete, steel and the content of the condos. The collapse occurred at 1:15 a.m. ET, crushing at least 55 of the building’s 136 units, according to a Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Assistant. The condominium is called Champlain Towers South, and is located approximately six miles north of Miami Beach.
So far, at least 10 people have been confirmed dead following the partial collapse of the Miami-Dade County complex. While no one has been found alive in the collapsed part of the building since the initial hours following the disaster, there’s still some hope given the number of people who have yet to be accounted for.