After the Jet Set tragedy: what grief demands of us as a society

The tragedy that occurred at the Jet Set nightclub has left an entire nation in mourning. With 221 lives lost and 189 rescued, according to the COE (Emergency Operations Center) report, what happened is not just an isolated catastrophe: it is a national wound that directly and indirectly impacts all of Dominican society. Beyond the numbers, there are lives, cut-short stories, extinguished dreams, and the profound suffering left behind by this event.

Today, another stage begins. One that is quieter, more intimate, but no less urgent: that of grief and emotional recovery. People who have lost family members face an immense void, filled with pain, disbelief, and questions that do not yet have answers. The grieving process will be long, and many will need psychological support to gradually rebuild their lives.

But it is not only the bereaved who carry this emotional burden. Some have injured family members, fighting to survive or healing from physical and emotional wounds. And we cannot forget the eyewitnesses: employees, neighbors, rescuers, and citizens who saw firsthand what happened and whose minds have been marked by the images and chaos of that moment. All of them may develop traumas that require professional attention.

As a society, we too bear the weight of this tragedy. It has profoundly affected us; it has hurt as if it happened within our own families. And it is precisely that empathy that must transform into action. It is not enough to mourn together; we must demand a thorough investigation that determines if this tragedy was preventable. Were safety regulations met? Were warnings ignored? Did the emergency systems function? Transparency and accountability are essential to prevent another similar tragedy from happening again.

Likewise, it is time to rethink our priorities. To strengthen the culture of prevention, to ensure that entertainment venues do not become death traps. It is time to educate our population and demand that authorities enforce the laws, without exceptions or favoritism.

After Jet Set, what follows is a collective commitment: to heal, to support, and to seek the truth. Because honoring the victims is not just remembering them, but doing everything necessary to ensure that their departure was not in vain.

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By Edwin De La Cruz
Journalist and lawyer