Four Americans, including a pair of newlyweds, have been identified as the victims of a tragic building collapse in Athens, Greece. Ian Alexander Kirkpatrick, 37, and his wife Florida Hoxha, 34, lost their lives alongside Florida’s older brother, Florin Hoxha, and his wife, Eris Cani, during the incident that occurred on September 25. This was just weeks after their wedding, which took place on August 30, as reported by Newsday.
Authorities are looking into the possibility that a gas leak might have led to an explosion that caused their two-story Airbnb in the historic Plaka district to collapse.
The couple had recently enjoyed a week in Mexico before heading to Greece, where they spent about nine days on their honeymoon. Sadly, they were killed on the day they were set to return to the United States, having already checked in for their Delta flight but failing to arrive at the Athens airport.
Kirkpatrick, a 2007 Huntington High School graduate, had been working as a research analyst at Strategic Analysis Enterprises in Williamsburg, Virginia, before moving to China for an internship at Citi, according to his LinkedIn profile. After two years as an analyst at the Chinese firm Dianrong, he returned to New York, working in banking for seven years. Most recently, he had been with Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group for five years.
Kirkpatrick’s mother, Suzanne Nelson, described him as “a wonderful, incredible human being,” noting his creativity and zest for life. She spoke fondly of Florida Hoxha, calling her “the sun in the solar system.” Florida, who graduated from the City University of New York School of Law and Emory University, had aspirations in politics and had worked for the New York Legal Assistance Group for five years.
Florin Hoxha, 36, who also perished in the collapse, co-founded a construction company with his brother. His wife, Eris Cani, was an assistant professor at Touro College, specializing in pharmacy practice, and had extensive experience in the field.
Additionally, Edmond Hings, 78, and his wife, 77-year-old Athena Papaprescou, were among the other victims. Greek authorities continue their investigation into the cause of the collapse, focusing on a gas leak that may have originated in the Hings’ apartment while also inspecting neighboring buildings that have been deemed potentially unsafe.
