Jan 3, 2008 11:00 pm US/Eastern
Spanish TV Pioneer Manolo Reyes Dies
Reyes Was 83-years-old
He Started Reporting On WTVJ Shortly After Coming From Cuba
MIAMI (CBS4) ―
Spanish Miami TV pioneer and former Mercy Hospital Executive Manolo Reyes has died.
Reyes was one of the first broadcasters to read the news in Spanish in Miami. In 1968 he approached a WTVJ Channel 4 (currently Channel 6) executive and proposed a Spanish news show that would cater to immigrants. For the next 18 years Reyes broadcasted the news in Spanish of Miami's Hispanic community, in particular early Cubans.
Afterward he took on several volunteer projects when he was hired by Mercy Hospital, helping the community's poor. Eventually he became vice-president of community affairs, working with the government, the hospital and patients.
Reyes's family did not immediately divulge his cause of death.
A funeral is being held Thursday, January 3rd, between 7 p.m. and 11 p.m. at the Caballero Rivero Woodlawn Funeral Home-3344 SW 8th Street. A mass will be held at St. Peter and Paul Church at 900 SW 26 Road, followed by his burial at Woodlawn Park Cemetery-3260 SW 8 Street on Friday.
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