Surfside collapse: College students in love found dead as death toll reaches 79

SURFSIDE, Fla. – The official death toll of the Surfside building collapse neared 80 on Saturday morning. Families were grieving children, young couples with dreams, and beloved parents and grandparents.

Miami-Dade detectives released the identities of four more victims late Friday night. The bodies of Benny Weisz, 31, and Angela Velasquez, 60, were recovered Thursday; Ilan Naibryf, 21, and Leidy Luna Villalba, 23, were among the 12 that crews recovered Wednesday.

Naibryf, who was born in Argentina and used to live in Hawaii, was in love with Deborah Berezdivin, a graduate student at George Washington University, friends said. He followed her to Surfside to support her during the funeral of a COVID-19 victim. Crews also found her body Wednesday.

Berezdivin, who was born in Puerto Rico, was an aspiring architect. She had already graduated from Tulane University. Naibryf, a student at the University of Chicago, was a physics major. He was working on a minor in molecular engineering and was planning to graduate in 2022.

“He also was co-founder and CEO of STIX Financial, a 2021 College New Venture Challenge finalist, served as president of the Chabad House student board, was a former member of the men’s track and field team, and was active in recreational soccer. He will be greatly missed,” a university spokesperson wrote. “We recognize the grief Ilan’s passing brings to our community. Ilan was a valued student and friend.”

Families were grieving for two other couples.

Weisz, who was born in Austria, and his wife, Malki Weisz, 27, were visiting her father, Harold Rosenberg, 52. The couple lived in Lakewood, New Jersey. Crews also found Rosenberg dead on Wednesday. The family was waiting on updates on Malki Weisz.

Velasquez, who was born in Colombia, was a Weston Town Center shop owner. She lived with her husband, Julio Velasquez, 67, and their 36-year-old daughter, Theresa Velasquez, a Live Nation executive who was visiting them from Los Angeles.

Malki Weisz, Julio Velasquez, and Theresa Velasquez are among the 62 people who have been unaccounted for since June 24th.

Before sunrise, determined crews continued searching for bodies or human remains trapped in the ruins of the former 12-story Champlain Towers South at 8777 Collins Ave.

The early morning collapse of the L-shaped condominium building’s northeast sections left a mountain of compact pancaked concrete. Fire Rescue personnel evacuated the survivors who were in the southern part of the oceanside building.

Terror, anguish, and grief surrounded the area. Hope fueled the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Department to summon the eight Florida Task Forces. Crews from as far as Virginia and New Jersey arrived to help. There were teams from Israel and Mexico.

There were intermittent storms and spontaneous fires as teams of 10 to 12 tunneled through the destruction day and night. There were heartbreaking long days full of sweat and tears when crews were only able to find one or two bodies.

The work didn’t stop. With the help of heavy equipment, crews were able to remove about 14,000 tons of concrete and metal. Workers delivered it to a field in Golden Glades. But with the threat of debris falling from above, engineers decided to stop the mission. It all came to a halt about 2:11 a.m. and resumed at 4:45 p.m.

President Joe Biden met with relatives, officials, and rescuers in Surfside. And when the mission resumed, Tropical Storm Elsa threatened the area. Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava ordered the demolition of what was left standing and it all imploded on the evening of the Fourth of July.

The search-and-rescue mission ended on Wednesday. The crews stood around the rubble in a solemn moment of silence and prayer. They had found entire families dead. They had seen a Miami firefighter carry his dead daughter after Florida Task Force 2 Miami recovered her body.

Their commitment hasn’t faltered.

COMPLETE COVERAGE

Surfside building collapse

• HOW TO HELP: Here’s a list of resources to support those impacted by building collapse
• Profiles: More about the victims identified
• Photos: Loved ones name those they say are missing
• Photos: Search-and-rescue teams in action
• Hotline and wellness form for residents and families

The timeline of a tragedy

Coverage of July 9

• Surfside death toll reaches 79, officials believe all victims will be recovered in next week or so
• Cat from collapsed building found alive, returned to family

Coverage of July 8

• Surfside family faces mix of emotions with father missing, mom and daughter saved
• Dwyane Wade visits Surfside, meets with search team
• Mother, her two sons, daughter-in-law, and grandson all victims of Surfside collapse

Coverage of July 7

• In a tragic irony, man who devoted life to structural engineering among dead in Surfside collapse
• God can do anything’: Faith remains as Surfside family waits
• Surfside victims fund to start distributing $5K per family
• Lawyers line up to make Surfside condo claims for clients
• Search of collapsed condo shifts from rescue to recovery
• Building collapse shows town’s rich, middle-class division
• Her father and uncle still missing, 12-year-old Elisheva Cohen discusses keeping positive through faith

Coverage of July 6

• Funerals for 7 victims of building collapse held in Miami Beach, Surfside, New York
• Search crews recover 8 bodies in Surfside Tuesday, death toll rises to 36
• Searchers at collapse site ‘not seeing anything positive’
• Mental health professionals called in to help first responders of Surfside collapse
• Mental health dogs on site in Surfside to help first responders deal with extreme emotional toll
• ‘We have to react’: Group raises $1.5 million for Surfside families
• Building collapse lawsuits seek to get answers, assign blame
• Experts studying Surfside collapse, remains are questioning building’s initial construction

Coverage of July 5

• Additional 3 bodies recovered overnight in Surfside, bringing death toll to 27
• Tale of rescue after falling several floors in Surfside collapse
• Identifying the remains a burdensome task in condo collapse
• Condo demolition opens up fresh rubble in collapse search
• Mayor: Crews did everything possible to find missing pets
• Surfside rabbi learns 2 of his congregants the latest to be recovered
• Tragedy at Surfside brings with it emotional toll for many
• Surfside rabbi learns 2 of his congregants the latest to be recovered

Coverage on July 4

• Demolition at site of Surfside building collapse could happen before Tropical Storm Elsa’s impact
• Surfside building collapse: Engineers prepare for demolition; search for 121 suspended
• Israeli Col. Golan Vach no longer believes there are Surfside building collapse survivors under rubble
• Surfside responds to issue of delayed building repairs
• Miami Beach residents, first responders shine light to honor Surfside victims

Coverage on July 3

• Crews on lookout for pets in Florida condo building collapse
• Remaining structure at Surfside building collapse site will be demolished
• Surfside search suspended as crew prepares for the demolition of the remainder of the building
• Demolition preparations begin at condo with storm looming

Coverage on July 2

• Miami firefighter’s daughter killed in Surfside building collapse identified as Stella Cattarossi
• Search-and-rescue team at Surfside building collapse site finds firefighter’s daughter dead
• North Miami Beach condo ordered shut, 300 residents need to leave immediately, city says
• Surfside police officers speak about initial moments after responding to collapse
• Biden has busy day following visit to Surfside

Coverage on July 1

• Biden in Surfside: We’ll ‘pick up 100% of the cost’
• ‘Waiting is unbearable’: Biden consoles Surfside families
• Death toll rises to 18 in Surfside, rescue crews pause operations due to safety concerns relating to standing structure
• Photographer, daughter and three other family members all missing in collapse
• Video shows grim reality of what rescuers are seeing at Surfside collapse site
• Safety concerns halt rescue efforts at condo collapse site
• Dispatch calls: ‘She’s stuck in between 2 beds,’ but responders couldn’t get to Surfside victim

Coverage on June 30

• Beloved ‘Dos Elenas’ legacy after Surfside tragedy will be legal reform
• Family of 4 confirmed to be among victims of Surfside building collapse
• Death toll rises in Surfside; more than 140 unaccounted for
• Rubble from Surfside condo brought to grassy field in Golden Glades’
• Ex-official who said Surfside condo was sound leaves new job
• Nonstop search efforts at Surfside building collapse site can take its toll on rescue workers
• Missing woman made phone call to her husband as Surfside condo collapsed
• Mother of North Bay Village police chief confirmed dead following Surfside collapse
• Remarkable stories of Surfside condo residents who survived by chance
• Family of missing woman files wrongful death lawsuit against Champlain Towers South Condo Association

Coverage on June 29

• ‘Something inside me said run’: Surfside survivor describes escaping as building came down
• Surfside resident lucky to be alive after spending night with girlfriend
• Champlain condo associations try to appease sister towers residents, speed up repairs
• Condominium law experts say tragedy will prompt more accountability
• Miami-Dade building audit already spotting issues
• Army of volunteers showers first responders with food, water
• Rescuers battle obstacles during their search in Surfside
• Recently married lawyer and husband missing in collapse
• Renowned civil engineer hired to investigate
• Families of Surfside victims keep hope alive by visiting condo and unifying in Bal Harbour
• Prosecutors will ask grand jury to probe building collapse
• ‘Our backyard’: Tragedy strikes home for Miami-Dade rescuers
• Biden to visit Florida building collapse on Thursday
• In collapsed building’s twin, most residents are staying put
• Surfside realtor says deadly building collapse ‘hasn’t slowed down the demand’ on beachside condos
• Beachside vigil held for victims and families of Surfside building collapse

Coverage on June 28

• Another body pulled from rubble in Surfside, bringing the total confirmed dead to 10
• Residential property audit announced by Miami-Dade mayor already underway
• Buses take loved ones of missing Surfside residents to collapse site
• 8 victims now identified following Surfside building collapse
• 88-year-old Surfside condo survivor remembers those who helped her to safety
• ‘Don’t give up hope,’ local leaders tell families of Surfside missing
• Watch out for Surfside charity scams and price gouging
• Despite warning, town deemed condo building in ‘good shape’
• Mayor: Child alone outside collapse site brings tragedy home
• Who are they? Stories of the victims of Surfside collapse
• What caused Surfside collapse? Engineer offers insight
• ‘I will miss you all my life:’ Father pens beautiful note to late son who died in the Surfside condo collapse
• Memorials grow in Surfside as desperate search for victims continues into fifth day
• Surfside collapse is ‘wake-up call,’ DeSantis says as questions remain about cause of devastating collapse

Coverage on June 27

• State fire marshal provides insight into efforts to locate victims while fighting fire
• Team of national scientists to visit Surfside collapse site
• Teams use sonar devices, lasers to aid in Surfside rescue
• Several families belonging to Miami Beach church remain missing, parishioners gather to pray and hope
• Neighboring residents express concern as investigation into Champlain Towers South collapse continues
• Buses take loved ones of missing Surfside residents to collapse site
• Remembering the dead and missing
• Search-and-rescue teams tunnel through pancaked concrete 3 days after building collapse

Coverage on June 26

• Relative of Surfside building collapse victim lashes out at DeSantis for not ‘doing enough’
• Surfside building collapse: Four out of 5 dead identified; 156 remain unaccounted for
• Missing grandparents’ landline calling from Champlain Towers South condo, family says
• Surfside tower had ‘major structural damage’ — but enough to cause a collapse?
• North Bay Village police chief’s mother has been unaccounted for since Surfside building collapse
• ‘The hope is that there are going to be miracles,’ relative of Surfside building collapse victims says
• Fire burning beneath rubble of collapsed Surfside condo hindering rescue efforts
• Surfside building collapse first responders having difficulty locating victims in massive debris pile
• Miami-Dade Mayor: ‘I’m hopeful this will be the day we have a breakthrough’
• Surfside mayor expresses concern over Champlain South’s identical sister building
• Traffic changes in Surfside area as rescue efforts continue following deadly building collapse

Coverage on June 25

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

Coverage on June 24

• 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