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Florind Belliu and his wife Ornela Shehi (Photo: Reproduction)
Actor and aspiring filmmaker Florind Belliu and his wife Ornela Shehi were found dead in the alley behind their building in the Bronx, New York. The parents of two would have thrown themselves through a window from the sixth floor of the building, leaving the entire neighborhood community and the artistic class of their home country moved. The tragedy happened on Bellius’ birthday.
Cameras captured the moment Ornela, 28, fell from the sixth floor window of the building and seconds later Florind, 35, suffered the same fate. The circumstances of the death are unclear, the police said.
Florind Belliu, wife Ornela Shehi and two children (Photo: Reproduction)
Belliu graduated from the University of Arts in Tirana, Albania, and acted in television and theater before moving to the US, EuroNews Albania reported. Two years ago, he was working on two books and a screenplay for a movie he planned to present to Netflix, according to the report. Law enforcement sources said he may have recently worked as a taxi driver to help with household expenses.
Heads up:
If you or someone you know is struggling with depression or suicidal thoughts, contact the Life Appreciation Center (cvv.og.br), a free 24hour service by dialing 188.
Actor friends took to social media to mourn Florind’s death, which is being treated as a suicide. “You broke my heart my dear friend,” actress Cela Irgen wrote in Albanian. “Why brother, why brother… did you choose this path? Why didn’t you think a little about your family, your mother and your sisters? You made us so sad that there is no explanation for it!” regretted fellow Albanian artist Andi Llabuti.
Albanian actor Florind Belliu (Photo: Reproduction)
Sources told the New York Post there were no reports of domestic violence related to the couple, who moved into the building with their two children about four months ago. Neighbors told the vehicle the two were a “quiet couple” who were “on their own” and had often been seen walking but also that Belliu was seen visibly angry on Friday. “I saw how they were always buying things for the house, like every day together, with two kids together, we didn’t realize anything was wrong,” said Shadie Perkaj, the caretaker’s wife.
Albanian actor Florind Belliu (Photo: Reproduction)