SURFSIDE, FLA. (WSVN) - Some Surfside survivors received heartfelt help from a nonprofit organization on a mission to provide them with a place to call home.
“I’m very grateful that we are still receiving all of this help,” said survivor Daniela Silva.
The survivors of Surfside felt what the meaning of community really is Tuesday.
“To just see the warmth of the community — really just everyone bringing you in — after this entire tragedy was truly remarkable,” said survivor Eric Zion.
More than nine months after many residents lost everything in the Champlain collapse, the Global Empowerment Mission along with the help of The Shul of Bal Harbour and others handed out $5,000 checks in housing assistance.
A total of $120,000 was distributed.
“We’re thankful for their partnerships to help us pay it forward and continue to support the people we care about in our own backyard,” said Kimberly Bentley of the Global Empowerment Mission.
“It means a lot, like the rents are crazy in Miami now,” said Silva.
These checks contributed a big help to many survivors who have been in need of financial assistance, some who are still paying for the home they lost back in June of 2021 while trying to afford a new place to make their home and has given a little bit of help as the battle in court continues.
“We still don’t know what’s gonna happen,” said Silva.
A judge may give his final approval on an almost $90 million settlement Wednesday, in a wrongful death lawsuit. Some of the victims reportedly plan to object.
“We hope, you know, it gets a little better for us, the survivors, because so far, we’re not getting recognized as survivors, just an economical loss,” said Silva.
A hope to settle and finally be able to move on and try to put the tragedy behind them.
It remains unclear what the formal and permanent memorial will look like for the 98 lives that were lost.
The town’s new mayor in Surfside has pledged to make it a top priority.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.