Florida city weighs how to honor lost souls at apartment collapse site

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SURFSEED, Florida (Associated Press) – As crews continue to search for the last missing remains of the souls who perished in their crumbling seaside apartments nearly three weeks ago, a question swirls across the ruins of South Champlain Towers: What will happen to the land that holds so much of pain?

“People talk about it as a sacred site,” Miami-Dade Police Chief Alfredo Ramirez said. “People want some kind of connection with their family members.”

Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett suggested Monday that as dozens of families continue to grapple with their losses, it’s too early to come up with anything definitive. But he said the tragedy – now with 94 confirmed dead and 22 still missing – forces something to be put on the site to remember them.

“I think the first thing we need to do is put families in place, so that they have a semblance of their lives — get them to the point where they are not overburdened by the sadness and emotion they are going through now,” Burkett said.

“Obviously this has become much more than a collapsed construction site,” the mayor said. “It has become a sacred site.”

An impromptu memorial erected along a nearby tennis court shortly after the collapse. Her fence is now decorated with drying bouquets and faded portraits of those whose death has been confirmed and those yet to be found. Crosses and candles line the street, and Stars of David are scattered throughout the scene. There are teddy bears, toys, shoes – all in honor of the dozens of victims.

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Within the ruins, personal items were collected and will eventually be returned to their owners or relatives. Twisted rebar and shards of concrete pulled away are being stored, under police escort, for investigators collecting clues as to why 12 stories fell to the ground on June 24.

In time, it will all be erased. What’s Next?

Anniversary isn’t strange after a tragedy, of course. Memorials have been erected at the World Trade Center site after its twin towers were destroyed by terrorists, as is a memorial in Oklahoma City. After the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake in Northern California, memorials sprang up across the San Francisco Bay Area.

Duffy Ainsworth, whose parents, Zvi and Etty Ainsworth, died in the Surfside tragedy, said it was a human act to remember.

“It provides comfort to families and the community while also serving as a reminder to ensure this never happens again,” Ainsworth said, noting that it might be inappropriate to rebuild because “so many of them lost their lives.”

Soraya Cohen, wife of unaccounted for Brad Cohen, wants the government to step in to buy the property so it can be preserved as a memorial. She said his remains are now part of what she and others call the Holy Land.

“The Earth is soaked in the blood, tissue and other parts of our loved ones, and to think that this area will only be seen as an opportunity for commercial development is downright sickening,” she said. “It is a sacred cemetery for Jews and Gentiles alike, because they died there together in a terrible way.”

The owners of the demolished complex and its board of directors have yet to formally consider the discussion. Survivors and family members are already suing for civil damages. The beachfront property sits on top of value real estate, which can complicate how things go.

“It seems insensitive and insensitive to talk about property use other than a memorial,” said Senator Jason Bezo, a Democrat that includes Surfside County. “It’s an incredibly complex balance of being respectful and honoring the memory of those we’ve lost, while also being careful to ensure that we help people rebuild their lives (and) get the most value for their homes.”

On Monday, authorities said they are increasing security along the perimeter to preserve potential evidence and keep people off the property, whatever their well-intentioned interests, as it continues to search for the missing.

“This is one of those cases where you have connections to the investigation and a lot of hurt, a lot of pain,” said Ramirez, the police chief.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved.

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