SURFSIDE, Fla. – The Guara family will be missed by many.
Marcus Guara, 52, his wife Anaely, 42, and their two daughters, Lucia, 11, and Emma, 4, lived in the Champlain Towers South building.
Unfortunately, all four have now been confirmed to have passed away in the collapse.
On Wednesday, Local 10 News’ Ian Margol got a chance to speak with a few people who knew the family and wanted to do whatever they could to help their memories live on.
Mike Spring knew Marcus Guara from when the two were friends at the University of Miami, and teammates on the rowing team.
“It’s just a real tragedy,” said Spring. “He had a very magnetic personality, I can’t remember a time when he was mean spirited, he was always the type of person who was trying to be helpful and friendly and keeping it light.”
The surrounding community has come together and done everything they can to support the loved ones of the victims.
Nava Lisman was a classmate of Lucia Guara. The 11-year-old watched the tragedy unfold only blocks away from her family’s home.
She decided she wanted to help, by starting a GoFundMe.
“It’s absolutely terrible what happened. A building collapsed and so many people were affected and so many are still missing,” Lisman said. “The money is going to go two families; the Guara family and one family that wishes to be unnamed. But if we do raise enough money, I hope to spread it to other families that are in need.”
To visit that GoFundMe page, click here.