In addition to Rubby, Governor Nelsy Cruz and former baseball player Octavio Dotel were also identified as victims of the disaster. President Luis Abinader thereupon proclaimed three days of national mourning.
Authorities have not verified the claims made by some witnesses that Rubby may have attempted to sing in order to be found during the rescue operations.
At the age of 69, Rubby was regarded as one of Latin America’s best merengue performers.
Before establishing himself as a soloist in the 1980s, he started his career with Wilfrido Vargas. Because of his strong voice, he was known as “The Highest Voice of Merengue.”
