On Wednesday, the identity of the business manager who perished in the Lower Manhattan parking garage collapse was revealed, and people who knew him described him as a dedicated father of two and a loyal friend.
According to reports, Willis Moore, who is the “location manager” for Little Man Parking according to his LinkedIn profile, was caught in the building’s collapse on Ann Street at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, along with five other people.
Moore’s friend and neighbor Kurt Jacobs recounted, “I was just like dumb-struck” after hearing the news of the cave-in.
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The 69-year-old man stated, “I still can’t believe it.” To learn he has passed away…It’s impossible for me to picture him anywhere else.
He was a good friend, to say the least. I grow maize and herbs in my garden, and I give them to him.
Jaeden Hurst, whose mother was good friends with Moore, recounts how the latter enjoyed fishing and frequently shared his catches with the neighborhood.
He claimed that his father would always bring something back for his mother.
According to Hurst, Moore also gave him and his family a pleasant surprise by purchasing admission to Six Flags.
To paraphrase, “He didn’t necessarily have a reason to but he was just really a nice guy and he used to help us out,” he said.
“That’s pretty much the most vivid image I have of him,” she said.
A “pretty private person” who puts in hard hours six days a week, as described by Jacobs.
Neighbors in Laurelton, New York, attested that Moore, a native of Jamaica, Queens, now lived there alone. He has a son and a daughter from his previous marriage before divorcing his wife.
Rescuers are still trying to reach his body, but they’ve been slowed down by the precarious state of the building.
Jacobs said he hadn’t seen Moore or his black SUV around since the collapse, but he still can’t believe he’s gone.
I really really hope he is located. I just can’t imagine him being dead, but at least if he’s hurt we can probably help him medically.
Alessy Hernandez, who worked at a connecting parking business, recalled Moore as a “very nice and pleasant to speak to.”
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As Hernandez put it, they would “try to get through the day and get home, but unfortunately for him, it wasn’t his time to go back home.”
Moore was about an hour away from getting off his shift before the collapse happened just after 4:10 p.m., according to Hernandez.
“He did know people [who] thought highly of him,” Hernandez remarked.
Former employee Maria Mammano recalled her boss, Moore, as “the nicest guy you ever want to meet,” as reported by Gothamist.
Rescuers are still trying to reach his body, but they’ve been slowed down by the precarious state of the building.
The New York City Fire Department (FDNY) began dismantling the garage on Wednesday in advance of Thursday’s controlled demolition.
A fire spokesman said the first step was to get all the wrecked cars out of the structure before having to go through areas slowly, “brick-by-brick” due to the garage’s current instability.
