SURFSIDE, FLA. (WSVN) - At 1:22 a.m. on Thursday, June 24, 2021, 98 lives were abruptly taken when the Champlain Towers South condominium collapsed. Two years later, a community still in mourning gathered in Surfside to mark the two-year anniversary.
Families who lost loved ones came together with local officials at the site of the collapse on Saturday afternoon to remember and honor those lives lost and hold up those impacted by the tragedy.
The event was preceded by a late-night vigil held on the sand near the site. As lanterns were lit and the names of the victims were read aloud, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Assistant Chief Raied Jadallah spoke about the lives lost.
“We’re here to commemorate, to remember the 98 souls that were lost,” said Jadallah. “May their souls find peace, and may their families continue to find peace.”
Hours later, local leaders addressed the large crowd at the afternoon ceremony.
“I want to thank the family members of victims and survivors for facing the pain of being part of this remembrance event,” said a speaker.
For those who were there that night, and for loved ones whose lives were forever changed, the pain remains two years later.
We’re here with people who are living still in enormous pain, and all of us to remember what we went through at that moment, in that month, and also the years that followed,” said Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. “It’s something that is never erased.”
7News cameras captured attendees as they viewed displays featuring pictures of the victims.
Rachel Speigal, who lost her mother in the collapse, shared what she has learned.
“Just to cherish every moment with your loved ones,” she said. “Not miss moments, not dwell on silly little things, but really cherish every day, because I never knew that the last conversation I had with my mom would really be the last conversation.”
As night fell on Saturday, the community continues to pay their respects. People left flowers in the chain-link fence surrounding the collapse site.
A few hundred feet away, a group was led in prayer as they stood in the sand.
For some, the anniversary marks another year passing without answers.
Martin Langesfeld, who lost his sister and brother-in-law in the collapse, spoke with reporters in front of the fence.
“It’s hard to believe that we’re still standing here, in front of so many cameras, two years later,” he said. “My sister Nicky, 26 years old, and her husband Luis, 28 years old, were taken from us in 12 seconds. How is it possible that a building collapses in the middle of the night, in 12 seconds, where you feel the safest, in your own home, and ends up like this?”
And while they fight for those answers, they’re also tirelessly fighting for a memorial on the Champlain Tower South site, as plans for future development roll forward.
“How could we build over dead bodies in America?” said Langesfeld. “It’s hard to accept the fact that there’s going to be another building, but we’re not trying to stop that building from going up. What we’re trying to do is incorporate a memorial on the site of the collapse and work with the developer Damac. Real estate and profit cannot come before lives.”
Current plans for a memorial only include one at the beach access along 88th Street, adjacent to the collapse site.
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