South Florida husbands among Americans killed in Kenya helicopter crash

This story originally appeared on The Advocate.

A married gay couple from South Florida were among seven people killed Wednesday when a helicopter carrying tourists crashed in northern Kenya.

Adam Hlavaty, 42, and Henry Parra, 55, lived in Coral Gables and married in 2017 at the city’s historic Biltmore Hotel. Friends remembered them as generous community members who built a life around family, travel, and service.

“They were a loving couple who cherished their time together, especially traveling, making memories, and enjoying life with their family and friends,” friends said in a statement obtained by WSVN. “They were hardworking, generous, and deeply committed to serving and giving back to their community.”

The Rev. Eddie Rodriguez, the interfaith minister who officiated their wedding, told WPLG that some couples remain with you long after the ceremony.

“There are couples that stand out for you, and they certainly did,” Rodriguez said.

Hlavaty was a real estate executive and co-founder of MRKT Group, a South Florida development and design company. A Purdue University graduate, he had held senior positions at Pollo Tropical, Benihana, and Pret A Manger. He also served on the Coral Gables Museum’s board.

Parra, a U.S. Navy veteran, co-founded Trax USA, a Coral Gables company that develops aviation maintenance software. He helped lead the business for nearly three decades and supported charitable initiatives across Miami.

The Eurocopter EC130 B4 was flying from the Loisaba Conservancy toward the Ewaso Nyiro area when it crashed near Mount Ololokwe in Samburu County, according to Kenyan authorities. All six passengers and the pilot died. Five victims were U.S. citizens.

Also killed were restaurateur Roger Duarte; NBC Universal executive José Suárez; Ecuadorian intelligence director Michele Sensi-Contugi and his wife, fashion designer Stephany Hollihan; and Kenyan pilot Josh Outram.

The cause remains under investigation.