Well-Known Albert Street Fruit Vendor Passes Away

Frequent visitors of Downtown Belize City are mourning the loss of one of the area’s most familiar figures: long-time fruit vendor Jerry ‘Big Jer’ Lopez.

Lopez passed away after suffering a medical emergency on Albert Street yesterday.

The beloved character reportedly suffered a seizure and was later found in a nearby drain. He was transported for medical attention but later succumbed to complications.

For decades, Lopez was a constant presence at the corner of King and Albert Streets, where he sold a wide variety of fresh fruits, including his well-known craboo and milk, along with apples, plums, grapes, and other seasonal offerings.

News of his passing has sparked an outpouring of sadness from Belizeans who came to know Lopez not just as a vendor, but as part of the fabric of the city’s downtown life. On eperson said on Facebook, “This is a blow! I will miss you. Our little chitchats,” while another said, “Downtown won’t feel the same without Jerry. He wasn’t just someone you saw around. He was part of the soul of the city. Always there, always familiar, always human. I knew him personally, and I know how deeply he was loved by the downtown community. This one hurts. Rest easy, Jerry. You mattered. You were seen. You will be missed.”