‘The community outpours so much love’: Families bond as death toll in Surfside condo collapse reaches 86

‘We just want to find my mom and be reunited with her. We’re still hoping for the best,’ daughter of missing woman says

The number of those confirmed dead after the condo collapse in Surfside, Florida has risen to 86, with 43 people still unaccounted for.

Miami-Dade mayor Daniella Levine Cava announced the new death toll during a press conference on Saturday morning. Of the 86 confirmed victims, 62 have been identified.

Florida fire marshall and chief financial officer Jimmy Patronis said on Friday that victims can now be recovered faster because the building is no longer a threat to search crews, and because heavy machinery can access the site more easily.

“One thing I can assure you is the dogs are still on the site. The infrared equipment is still being used. The cameras are still being used. The task forces that are here ... are the same level of skills that were here with Fema (Federal Emergency Management Agency) task forces,” Mr Patronis said, according to CNN. “They’re all still working. What’s happening right now is no different than five days ago.”

The families of the victims and those still missing are helping one another cope as they wait for news of what happened to their loved ones.

They have been gathering twice a day for over two weeks in a ballroom, to comfort and support each other as they process the after-effects of the disaster.

Many have started arriving early and staying after the meetings are over, talking to each other, and at times hugging. Members of the rescue crews from the US and abroad walk around the room on days when there isn’t much information to announce, to share small details.

While it was announced on Wednesday that the search mission would change from rescue to recovery, the private family briefings won’t cease.

Ms Levine Cava said earlier this week that it was “heartbreaking” to announce that rescue crews had found 15 victims in one day, but confirmed that the work is “moving forward with great urgency”.

“All those who have passed … are leaving behind loved ones. They’re leaving behind devastated families. The magnitude of this tragedy is growing each and every day,” Ms Levine Cava said at a press conference.

“We know that there will be long-term impacts for the teams on the front line,” she added. “They have given so much of themselves in these first two weeks.”

Miami-Dade firefighter Maggie Castro told reporters: “Obviously this is a huge tragedy, but if I can find some kind of bright spot in this whole thing, it’s to be with these families, watching their emotions come and go and ... watching them evolve through their stages and then also watching them bond.”

Soriya Cohen’s husband, Brad Cohen, has still not been found. Gary Cohen, her brother-in-law, was found on Thursday.

“The community outpours so much love,” she said. In the days after the collapse, volunteers wrapped her in a blanket and brought her food and coffee. She said they “surrounded me with so much emotional support”.

The briefings are heavily protected, with careful security measures to ensure privacy. Tables have been set up in the ballroom to offer housing, clothing, food and counselling. Millions of dollars have been raised to support the families.

While some relatives appeared to give up hope as the rescue mission was redesignated a recovery operation, others say they won’t feel different until their family members are found.

Rachel Spiegel’s mother Judy is still unaccounted for.

“It’s hard to digest,” Ms Spiegel said. “Many people did say they feel the shift. For us, we just want to find my mom and be reunited with her. We’re still hoping for the best. We’re going to have this shift once we find her and are reunited with her.”

“I don’t think the terminology of rescue versus recovery matters. It’s semantics,” Ms Cohen said. “They will find people in whatever state they are in, however it’s termed.”

Ms Castro said that, among some families, “there has been a sort of shift I think towards acceptance, but also obviously with that comes some sadness”.

She said the relatives are emotionally and physically drained.

“It’s a lot, a lot of emotional roller coasters that they’ve been on, just trying to stay positive and hold out the wait,” she said.