Champlain Towers South resident survives by climbing through rubble in the dark with her dog

SURFSIDE, Fla. – Sharon Schechter said her life changed in seconds. She is among the 127 Champlain Towers South residents who Miami-Dade County authorities have accounted for after a section of the building collapsed early Thursday morning in the oceanside town of Surfside.

Schechter, 60, was a resident at 8777 Collins Ave. Shortly before 2 a.m., she was asleep with her dog in apartment 1109. A noise that was “a little unusual” woke her up abruptly. She then felt like the whole building was shaking. She looked out the window.

“I realized, ‘Oh my God!’ Where is the building? There’s no building!’”

Fearful that what was left of Champlain Towers South was going to crumble, she grabbed her dog and rushed out of her apartment. She tried running down the only available stairwell, but there was rubble.

“We were screaming, ‘Help! Come get us! We are here! Come get us!”

She was banging on the door hoping someone could hear her. Schechter realized she was on her own. She decided to climb with her dog through rubble and on top of cars. The goal was to get out of the 12-story building as fast as she could.

“It was pitch black ... We are finding our way out until we get to some light,” Schechter said.

She made it out with her dog. She left everything else she owns behind. Her passport. Documents from work. She operates a Medicare insurance business. It will be complicated to recover, but she made it out with her life.

“I was one of two I think that survived on my floor,” Schechter said.

Not knowing whether or not all of her neighbors made it out has been haunting her. She said she called one of the neighbors who lived on her floor but he didn’t pick up.

All she could think about was the many people who didn’t make it out, she said. Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said four people died and 159 were unaccounted for as of Friday evening.

“I feel like I’m mourning every minute for someone in that building,” Schechter said, later adding, “I am hoping that there is a reason why I survived — a bigger picture.”

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

• 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

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