Popular merengue singer Rubby Pérez was thrilled to be traveling to the Dominican Republic to escape the New York chill during his final performance in the city, just days before dying when the roof of the nightclub he was playing at collapsed.
Pérez, 69, was at New York’s La Nueva España restaurant on Friday when he informed his fans that he would be traveling to Santo Domingo the next day to enjoy sunshine and warm weather.
“And on Monday I’m heading out, so whoever wants to come with me, let’s go,” Perez said to the cheering crowd as he invited them to sing along to what would be his last performance in the US.
Pérez would go on to perform at the Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo, where the iconic merengue venue hosting more than 300 people saw its rooftop collapse in the middle of his set.
The Dominican singer was in the midst working the crowd of hundreds who came out to hear him when debris began falling from the ceiling, with the whole roof caving in just seconds later, witnesses told Noticias Sin.
Although there was initial confusion over the fate of the singer, his family and manager confirmed that he was one of the 124 victims of the disaster, with the death toll expected to rise as first responders dig through the rubble.
Eva Santos, 52, the daughter of the owner of La Nueva España, told The Post she was heartbroken over the news after just having Pérez at the restaurant to celebrate her brother’s birthday.
“He’s a legend,” she said about Perez. “To us, he’s one of those singers that when you’re sad or happy, you listen to his songs and they get to you.”
Santos said the restaurant was packed with fans of Pérez during his performance, with people even waiting in their cars for the moment he showed up.
“When he walked in through that door he was just shaking hands and saying hi,” Santos said, adding that Pérez was joking with patrons to take vacations to warmer pastures.
“He was saying, ‘Let’s go. Let’s go to the Dominican Republic because it’s too cold here.’”
Miosotis Amparo, 46, said she was lucky enough to catch Pérez at the show. The self-proclaimed number-one fan said she has seen him perform more than 30 times.
“I was emotional, I was crying. I was very, very happy,” she said of the show, where Pérez was allegedly touting his upcoming performance at Jet Set.
“I was not sleeping yesterday,” Amparo said after learning of the collapse. “I said, ‘Rubby Perez, oh my god! This is not true. No, no no. This is crazy.’”
“He’s family for me. He is my brother from my country, you know? It’s too much for me,” the grieving fan added. “It’s my number-one idol.”
There were makeshift vigils set up outside the restaurant to mourn the singer, with people stopping by regularly with tears in their eyes.
Pérez is among the 91 victims identified so far after he was pulled from the rubble and rushed to the Plaza de Salud hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
“It is with deep sorrow that we inform you of the passing of our beloved Rubby Pérez. We sincerely appreciate all the love, support and solidarity that we have received at this difficult time for his family, friends and supporters,” Pérez’s team said in a statement.
“His musical and human legacy will live in our hearts forever,” they added.
The beloved merengue singer released a total of 13 albums after a solo career in 1987.
Some of the albums went on to become certified gold in countries including Venezuela and the Dominican Republic, El Colombiano reports.
Pérez was best known for hits like “Volveré” (“I Will Return”), “Buscando tus Besos” (“Searching for Your Kisses”) and “Dame Veneno” (“Give Me Poison”).
