Man Dies After 15-Foot Fall At Nantucket Job Site

A 52-year-old man who was airlifted off Nantucket last Tuesday after a 15-foot fall at a job site on Old South Road has died in a Boston hospital.

Pedro Pereira, an electrician originally from El Salvador who had been working on Nantucket for the past two years, passed away on Friday as a result of the severe injuries he suffered from the fall, which included fractures of his spine, neck, and skull.

Family members, who had launched a Go Fund Me page to assist Pereira with the cost of medical expenses, told the Current his remains would be returned to El Salvador.

"He was my husband's uncle, but I grew very fond of him because of how good he was to my husband," said island resident Jennifer Tejada Miranda. "He was like a father to him since he didn't have a father figure. He was that for him. The whole family is suffering this tragic loss. His heart couldn't take it anymore; his blood pressure was rising too high, and he had a heart attack. His remains will be taken back to El Salvador, where he will be buried next to his mother."

Pereira had started working on Nantucket as a painter and then moved into the electrical contracting field, working for Nantucket Electrical Contractors, Inc.

"Pedro was a very kind and gentle man," Nantucket Electrical Contractors owner Kevin Dineen told the Current. "He had a great work ethic, and it was always a pleasure to work in his presence. He was dedicated to his family and was very proud of his son Brian. Not only will he be missed by his family, he will also be missed by everyone that knew him. He left a lasting impression in everyone that he met. We will all miss him."

Pereira's nephew, Geovanni Serrano, shared this remembrance of his uncle and his life that led him to Nantucket:

"Pedro Pereira was a man whose life was marked by service, resilience, and love for others. In 2001, when earthquakes struck El Salvador, Pedro was one of the many people affected by that tragedy. He lost everything. However, far from giving in to adversity, he found in those difficult moments an even greater reason to serve and support his community.

"Pedro dedicated a large part of his life to education. He was a teacher from first through ninth grade and also taught high school at an institute, where he not only taught academic subjects but also values. His commitment and leadership led him to become the director of the institute, a role he carried out with responsibility, humility, and deep compassion. For many students, Pedro was not just a teacher, but a guide and an inspiration.

"He was a deeply loved man. He was always willing to help, especially poor families, offering support without expecting anything in return. His vocation for service even led him to run for mayor of the city of Nueva Concepción, Chalatenango. Although he did not win due to a lack of votes, his intention left a lasting mark: Pedro truly wanted a better future for his people.

"Pedro was also a proud and loving father. His son, Brian, was one of his greatest motivations and joys in life. Everything he did, he did thinking about providing a better future for his family.

"In search of new opportunities, Pedro moved to Nantucket, Massachusetts, where he settled with his family. There, he began working as a painter, with the same dedication he had shown throughout his life. Later, he decided to keep moving forward: he studied electricity, completed his education in the field, and began working as an electrician, proving that it is never too late to learn and grow.

"Pedro Pereira leaves behind a legacy of hard work, honesty, and generosity. He lived to serve, to teach, and to love. Though he is no longer physically with us, his memory lives on in his family, in his son Brian, in his students, in the families he helped, and in every person who had the privilege of knowing him.

"He will be sent back to El Salvador, where all his family, friends, and students will have a chance to see him for the last time."