New York explosion claims life of El Diario editor's husband

A fund set up by the Guild to help El Diario editor Liseth Perez, who lost her husband and her home in Wednesday's building explosion in East Harlem, collected $3830 from her El Diario colleagues on its first day, which the Guild matched. On Friday afternoon, Guild President Bill O'Meara and Secretary-Treasurer Peter Szekely presented El Diario Unit Chair Oscar Hernandez with a matching check for $3830.

On Day 1, Guild raises, matches $3830 for member

Panagopoulos

A deadly explosion that leveled two apartment buildings in New York City on Wednesday had tragic consequences for a Guild member.

Among the eight people known to have died in the East Harlem blast was Andreas Panagopoulos, husband of Guild member Liseth Perez, an editor at El Diario, the country’s oldest Spanish-language newspaper, whose staff has been represented by the Guild for many years.

Here is how a Guild officer at El Diario described Liseth’s tragic situation on Friday:

“Liseth was left with nothing, only the clothes she had on. She has no children, no relatives in New York and she has been staying at a friend’s home. This morning she went to the morgue to identify her husband. He used to work from their apartment. I understand that Liseth is doing the paperwork to get her Venezuelan passport up to date so she can take her husband's remains to his homeland, Greece.

Liseth’s most pressing needs now are housing, clothing and most of all: money to cover expenses for her to travel to bring her husband’s remains to Greece.”

The Guild is taking up a collection to help Liseth in her time of need.  The Local will match all contributions received, up to $5000.  Please consider making a donation.

UPDATE: El Diario employees on Friday raised $3830 for Liseth's fund, which the Guild matched with a check that day for a total of $7660.

Checks for the fund can be made out to: Newspaper Guild of New York and mailed to us at 1500 Broadway, Suite 900 New York, NY 10036. Please make a notation on the check that it is for the “Liseth Perez Fund.”