MoCo Restaurant Temporarily Closes After 'Cherished' Employee Dies

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD — A Bethesda pizzeria is temporarily closing its doors following the unexpected death of one of its employees, with plans to launch a fundraiser in the coming days.

The Alatri Bros. announced its closure over the weekend and said Monday that it was planning to organize a fundraiser "once the logistics are in place."

Officials described the team member as "a cherished member of the Alatri Family."

"Long before Alatri Bros. called this location home, Wilber had already spent many years working here when it was Mia’s. In a way, he came with the place and when we took over, it didn’t take long to see why," reads a Monday post by the pizzeria.

"His incredible personality, work ethic, and heart made it clear that he belonged here with us. Wilber was a talented chef who truly cared about this restaurant like it was his own… something incredibly rare in this industry."

"Though he has left us physically, his spirit, joyful personality, and the impact he made will always live on in our hearts," the post adds.

The Alatri Bros., which is located at 4926 Cordell Ave., opened in 2017 after taking over the space previously home to Mia's Pizza.

The pizzeria's normal operating hours run from 4 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, and from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday. On Saturday and Sunday, doors stay open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., respectively.

A GoFundMe campaign has been started by Jhensy Melendez, Wilbur's sister, to cover the costs of transporting his remains to El Salvador.