SURFSIDE, FLA. (WSVN) - A grieving community came together at the border between Surfside and Bal Harbour for a moving musical tribute and candlelight vigil to honor the lives lost and those forever changed as a result of the partial condo collapse.
7News cameras captured a participant during Sunday night’s event, held on the beach near 96th Street, as she read aloud the names of the victims killed in the June 24 collapse at Champlain Towers South.
Some audience members shed tears, while others took a moment to reflect.
“Everybody knew somebody in the building, including myself,” said Surfside resident Howard Rennart. “I lost a friend and a mentor of over 50 years, so it’s important.”
The South Florida Symphony Orchestra’s summertime classical concert in Bal Harbour shifted from the village’s northern border to mark one month since the tragedy.
The event brought several South Florida communities closer together.
“Our city manager called me and said, ‘What if we do this event at the border with Surfside, and we dedicate it to the residents of Surfside?” said Bal Harbour Mayor Gabriel Groisman.
“Surfside and its neighbors far and wide have shown the world what real compassion and loving concern for our fellow brothers and sisters is all about,” said Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett.
Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said music is a perfect way to help a hurting community heal.
“Truthfully, I’ve been waiting for this moment. I’ve been waiting for the time when we could get together and look back and have a moment of reflection and peace, and this is truly a beautiful evening,” she said.
“What was touching was, at the end, when the butterflies went off, it was very significant, and it was just a beautiful ceremony,” said an attendee.
Organizers said the intention of the vigil was to “surround the area in sound and vibration.”
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.