Amid anguish after building collapse, memorial, prayer circle help some cope with Surfside tragedy

SURFSIDE, Fla. – There were fresh flowers and candles in front of a fence decorated with the pictures of some of the people who relatives said were unaccounted for on Saturday in Miami-Dade County’s town of Surfside.

The makeshift memorial was near to what was left of the 12-story Champlain Towers South where search-and-rescue teams were at work. They faced the rubble with hope even amid a tedious effort complicated by rain, an unstable structure, spontaneous fires, and gusty winds.

“I saw them looking over the rubble, so if they are, that is hope,” said Lee Soto, whose friends Nikki Langsfield and Luis Sadovnic are missing following the collapse. “What were they thinking in that 10 seconds that they had of life? Did they say, ‘I love you’? Did they say, ‘This is it’?”

North of Champlain Towers South, a group from Ruth K. Broad Bay Harbor K-8 Center in Bay Harbor Islands participated in a prayer circle on the beach.

Dislamy Pelayo was among the organizers of the Friday afternoon event.

“We are all hurting and a single prayer is very powerful; praying in unity is more powerful,” Pelayo, 38, said through tears.

Officials said that as of early Saturday morning, there were 159 people unaccounted for and four dead.

Family reunification center

The town was hosting those who are waiting for information about unaccounted relatives after the partial collapse at Champlain Towers South at the community center at 9301 Collins Ave. On Friday, they moved the relatives to the Grand Beach Hotel Surfside at 9449 Collins Ave. Levine Cava said relatives had two daily briefings.

For information or to report the status of a loved one who is unaccounted for, call 305-614-1819 or 305-993-1071.

Complete coverage

• HOW TO HELP: Here’s a list of resources to support those impacted by building collapse
• Photos: Loved ones name those they say are missing
• Photos: Building in Surfside partially collapses
• Hotline and wellness form for residents and families

Coverage on Friday

• Champlain Towers South resident survives by climbing through rubble in the dark with her dog
• Teen identified after being pulled from rubble in Surfside, family confirms mother is among those dead
• Man who lives in condo looks out, tells wife ‘My parents’ apartment isn’t there’
• Surfside collapse: Family reunification center moving from community space to hotel
• First lawsuit filed after partial building collapse in Surfside
• Smoke billows out from Champlain Towers South collapse site
• Surfside officials discuss aftermath of building collapse: ‘Terrible tragedy’ to change recertification
• Israel sends help to Surfside’s Jewish community

Coverage on Thursday

• Officials fear there will be many casualties after Surfside building ‘pancaked’ during collapse
• Surveillance video captures eerie moments as part of Surfside condo crashes down
• Man says all he saw was ‘white clouds of dust’
• Father remains missing; wife and daughter hospitalized after Surfside building collapse
• Surfside condo that collapsed was going through a recertification process
• After Surfside collapse do you need to worry about your building?
• Officials fear there will be many casualties after Surfside building ‘pancaked’ during collapse
• Geologist warned of instability in Surfside