Yakir Levy, star of the Israeli docu-reality series The Americans, died at the age of 45 on Tuesday after falling from the 28th floor of a hotel in Miami.
Levy, originally from Ramla, gained public attention over the past year after appearing on Channel 13's The Americans, which follows the lives of Israelis who immigrated to the United States and achieved major professional success while maintaining their Israeli identity.
He is expected to be buried in Israel, though funeral arrangements have not yet been announced. He is survived by his wife and three children.
Levy moved to US, built successful business
During the series, Levy recounted his decision to move to the US, saying he arrived with very little money.
"I came with $300 in my pocket and turned it into millions," he said. "I did it little by little, with a lot of hard work and dreams. I can do anything my mind sets out to do."
Levy went on to build a successful business specializing in restoring buildings damaged by natural disasters. "Along the way, I'm also rebuilding people's lives. Whether they're abused women, drug addicts, or former prisoners, I took in the people nobody else wanted," he said in a previous interview.
Social media personality Lee Alon, who appeared alongside Levy on The Americans, paid tribute to him.
"There are moments that are simply impossible to process. I just can't believe it," she wrote. "Even though we didn't know each other for many years, he left me with the memory of a truly great person, with a huge heart, a warm smile, and an energy that was impossible to forget. My heart is simply broken. I'll remember you forever."