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Surfside marks four years since collapse as leaders, faith groups and first responders gather
Summary
On June 24, 2025, Surfside held a memorial to remember the 98 people who died in the June 24, 2021 Champlain Towers South collapse. Surfside Mayor Charles Brdette introduced officials and said organizers expect to begin work on a permanent memorial soon; Miami‑Dade Mayor Daniela Lavine Cava and faith leaders spoke about grief, unity and gratitude to first responders.
Surfside held a public memorial on June 24, 2025, honoring the 98 people who died in the June 24, 2021 collapse of Champlain Towers South. Surfside Mayor Charles Brdette opened the ceremony, introduced local and county officials and said the community will soon begin building a memorial at the site.
"This is a loving, respectful time for us to come together to remember and celebrate the lives of those 98 people who we cared about," Brdette said, adding that organizers had overcome resistance and "I think that we're going to have shovels in the ground very soon." His remarks framed the event as a reunion of families, responders and civic leaders who worked together during the rescue and recovery effort.
The service included an invocation from Father Sosa of St. Joseph's Parish, who prayed for unity and healing. "God of all nations, help us to keep the unity we experience despite our anguish and pain," Father Sosa said, and he thanked first responders, counselors and volunteers who supported families in the aftermath of the collapse.
Miami‑Dade Mayor Daniela Lavine Cava, introduced by Brdette, described the night of the collapse as a defining moment. "Ninety‑eight precious lives were taken from us in the middle of the night," she said, calling attention to the human toll and praising first responders who worked at the scene. She thanked local, national and international teams that assisted, saying their work provided hope to families and the wider community.
Organizers and speakers highlighted the community's resilience and ongoing commitment to the victims' families. Brdette said the memorial project had faced obstacles but that planning had resolved earlier issues with the site and that construction would begin soon; specific dates and construction details were not provided at the ceremony.
The program also named many public officials and community leaders in attendance, including the town's vice mayor, commissioners and county and state representatives, and acknowledged the continuing involvement of emergency personnel who led rescue efforts in 2021. The ceremony closed with acknowledgements of continued support and remembrance from faith leaders, volunteers and officials.
