Music Manager Who Survived Jet Set Nightclub Roof Collapse Tells His Story: ‘I Never Thought About Dying’

Carlos Bautista, a music manager for artists including Omega and Chimbala, went to Jet Set nightclub on Monday night to watch his friend Rubby Pérez perform. He was standing near the stairs leading to the stage when the club’s roof collapsed. Both Bautista and his brother survived the tragedy. Here’s Bautista’s story, in his own words.

I’m a close friend of Rubby. I produced his last album, and we’ve worked together on business projects. I went to see him perform that night. I was standing near the stairs by the stage.

A piece of the roof fell onto the corner of the club, landed on a table, and shattered it. That’s when a hole appeared in the roof. People started recording it and looking at it, and within seconds, the entire roof caved in. At first, we thought it was a fight in the club because everyone started running, and we assumed it was some kind of altercation. But five seconds later, the roof collapsed. I was right there in front. I didn’t even have time to run. When I turned to leave, the roof fell on me — on my head, back, arms and knees. I was completely buried.

My brother and I were both trapped under the rubble. Nearby, there was a couple, and they managed to create a space and said, “Carlos, help me get out.” I’m a big guy — 6 feet tall and over 200 pounds — so I was able to move a chair, and they got out. My brother was still trapped, so I went to get help to get him out of the rubble. When things like this happen, you don’t really think about anything. While I was trapped, I thought about my mom, my family. I prayed to God, asking Him to let us make it out alive, but I also surrendered to His will. I was calm — 100% calm. But it wasn’t me; it was God who made that possible.

I never thought about dying. I was trapped for over an hour. I didn’t lose consciousness because I kept talking to my brother to keep him alert since he was on the verge of having a claustrophobic attack. Neither of us passed out. The people near me made space for us, and I was able to get out. I walked out barefoot because my shoes got stuck under the rubble. I was careful not to step on nails or anything sharp. I ran into someone my mom knows — a cop — and a firefighter. My brother had his phone with him and used the flashlight so they could find him and remove the debris to get him out. He was trapped for three to four hours. Rubby didn’t make it, and I think being trapped for so long is what ultimately took him.

When you’re in that kind of situation, your mind starts to wander, and it’s not easy to process what’s happening. At first, I thought it was an earthquake. But when I got out and saw everything was fine outside, I realized it wasn’t. What impacted me the most was seeing people outside desperately waiting for their loved ones to come out alive. That stayed with me — seeing their faces, knowing that most of the people trapped inside had already passed away. God had called them.

I live with my brother and my mom. She was at home and only found out what had happened when I called her from the hospital. My mom wakes up every day at 4 a.m. to pray, and I called her at that time to tell her not to worry when she woke up and realized I hadn’t come home. My brother spent the night in the hospital, but he’s here with me now. I didn’t break any bones, but my mind feels fractured after everything I saw. My heart feels broken because I’m human, and I feel the pain of others. I lost a lot of people I knew that night.

Life can change in an instant. I woke up this morning thanking God for giving me more time, for showing mercy to us, for not leaving my mom alone in this moment, for letting her keep her two sons. That’s just how I am — always calm, always composed. But I didn’t survive just because I’m calm. Everything is in God’s hands. I keep thinking about this phrase: “It wasn’t the universe, it was God. And it wasn’t random; it was part of His plan.”

Now that this has happened, I want humanity to take God’s existence more seriously. We’re seeing the signs of the end times, and God is real. I’ve always believed, but now even more so. I’ll continue to talk about His existence for the rest of my life. This doesn’t affect my career — not at all. I work in music, and I’m mentally prepared for whatever comes my way.